Giro d'Italia 2026 Sprint Jersey (Purple) Favourites: Who Takes the Maglia Ciclamino?

The Battle for the Maglia Ciclamino at the 2026 Giro d’Italia

The Giro d’Italia isn’t just about that famous pink jersey. The purple one, the maglia ciclamino, brings its own drama, its own storylines, and honestly some of the most spectacular finishes across 21 days of racing. This year the sprint classification race heads all the way to Rome, and we think the competition looks absolutely stacked. Here’s how the TipsGG editorial team sees the top contenders shaping up.

Recent Winners of the Giro d’Italia Points Classification

How the Points Scoring Works at the 2026 Giro

The Giro d’Italia is an incredibly demanding race, yet the points classification honour roll reads like a who’s who of pure sprinters. The reason? The traditional scoring system heavily rewards flat-stage finishes. The rider who dominates on sprint days almost always ends up wearing purple. For context: Tadej Pogačar finished just fifth in the points ranking two years ago despite winning six stages in mountain territory. If you’re new to understanding how betting on sports works, this kind of structural insight matters a lot for predictions.

Points Breakdown by Stage Type

Flat stages (one or two stars) — Stages 1, 3, 4, 6, 12, 15, 18, 21: Finish points of 50, 35, 25, 18, 14, 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Hilly stages (three stars) — Stages 2, 5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 17: Finish points of 25, 18, 12, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Mountain stages (four or five stars) — Stages 7, 14, 16, 19, 20: Finish points of 15, 12, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Time trial (Stage 10): Finish points of 15, 12, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Intermediate sprints (all stages except the time trial): 12, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

TipsGG Top 5 Favourites for the Purple Jersey

Our ranking methodology draws on input from current and former editorial team members, each submitting a personal top ten. Points were allocated on a 12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale and converted into a percentage of the maximum achievable score. This gives a clear picture of how we rate each rider’s chances. For a better understanding of betting terminology, check our glossary.

5. Ethan Vernon — NSN

Seventh place goes to someone who may have flown under the radar for casual fans but has proven he belongs among the fastest in the peloton. Ethan Vernon of NSN has been building specifically toward this Giro for months alongside regular lead-out man Jake Stewart. That pairing already delivered results in Catalonia and the Loire Tour.

Those aren’t marquee events, sure. But from previous seasons we know Vernon is a rider to watch closely. He finished second twice at last year’s Vuelta and is still hunting his first Grand Tour stage win. This Giro represents his best opportunity yet.

4. Paul Magnier — Soudal Quick-Step

For the second consecutive year, Paul Magnier lines up at the Giro for Soudal Quick-Step. Last year the objective was primarily educational, and he abandoned halfway through. This time winning is the only acceptable outcome, given what happened after he left the 2025 Giro: 18 victories in the second half of the season. Eighteen.

The Classics didn’t quite click for Magnier this spring, so he headed to Sierra Nevada for altitude training. As one of the rare professionals who keeps his full Strava profile public, observers could see he posted his best power numbers of the year there. Dries Van Gestel and Jasper Stuyven form his lead-out. This kid is special.

3. Dylan Groenewegen — Unibet Rose Rockets

A name every cycling fan recognizes. Dylan Groenewegen of Unibet Rose Rockets occupies sixth spot, and the dream for Bas Tietema’s team is a first-day pink jersey thanks to a sprint-friendly opening stage in Burgas.

Whether Groenewegen will contest intermediate sprints from day one remains unclear. His team’s priority is stage victories. Strong daily results would inevitably bring the purple jersey conversation into play, though the team isn’t explicitly targeting the classification. Maybe they should be.

2. Jonathan Milan — Lidl-Trek

After a year away, during which he claimed the green jersey at the Tour de France, Jonathan Milan returns to the race where he won the points classification in both 2023 and 2024. The initial target is wearing pink on day one, a prize that still eludes his palmares.

Once that’s sorted, attention shifts to the purple jersey. Simone Consonni and tall German Max Walscheid provide his lead-out firepower. After a somewhat disappointing spring, Lidl-Trek will be hungry at this Giro. Milan’s raw speed remains among the highest in the sport. We think he’s the biggest threat to our number one pick.

1. Tobias Lund Andresen — Decathlon CMA CGM

The man we rate as the top favourite is Tobias Lund Andresen, who has enjoyed a sensational spring for Decathlon CMA CGM. The Dane, who moved from Picnic PostNL over the winter, won a stage at the Tour Down Under, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, a Tirreno-Adriatico stage, and featured prominently at virtually every Classic he entered.

His defining advantage over someone like Milan is climbing ability. He demonstrated this again at Eschborn-Frankfurt, where he was one of the few fast men to survive the hilly finale. Lund Andresen told reporters at the start of that race that the points jersey is his primary objective:

“If you don’t go for it and come up short in Rome, you’ll kick yourself.”

We’ve noted that ambition. And given his form, his versatility, and his team’s commitment to the project, we think he’s the man to beat for the maglia ciclamino in 2026. Remember to always gamble responsibly when placing any wagers on race outcomes.

Our Verdict

This year’s purple jersey race looks like a genuine three-way battle between Tobias Lund Andresen, Jonathan Milan, and Dylan Groenewegen. The Dane’s climbing legs give him a structural edge in a race that inevitably throws up a few surprises on hillier days. Milan’s pure speed is unmatched. And Dylan Groenewegen? He’s a very experienced rider with no prior wins in the Giro, but his current form gives a lot of chances for him to wear the purple in Rome. We’re backing Lund Andresen, but barely.

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