The 2026 Giro d’Italia Ride Green sustainability project has concluded its first phase, reporting that around 95% of total waste collected in its top-performing host locations was recycled.
Organised by RCS Sport, the professional cycling stage race has run the Ride Green initiative for 12 years to position the event as an international leader in low environmental impact multi-stage racing.
The initiative monitors separate waste collection rates across all start and finish venues. In the 2026 edition, a total of 59,969.5kg of waste was collected across the event, with more than 92% of the overall total destined for recycling.
Lombardy topped the regional rankings for waste management. In the best start location category, Voghera achieved a 95.886% separate waste collection rate, followed by Fai della Paganella at 95.232% and Imperia at 94.150%.
For the finish locations, Milan recorded a 94.483% separate waste collection rate. Piancavallo achieved 94.341% and Chiavari registered 94.127%.
Recent editions of the project have expanded to include the Giro-E electric bike event and BiciScuola, an educational initiative designed to introduce children to cycling and environmental awareness.
The 2026 event featured the launch of ‘Three Green Trails: 3,000 New Trees to Plant Together’ in partnership with VAIA, a benefit company focused on mountain reforestation following a 2018 storm in the Dolomites.
In April 2026, 3,000 trees were planted in three Giro d’Italia host areas within the Dolomite regions of Trentino, Veneto and Friuli, specifically Darzo, Canazei and Claut.
VAIA also presented an award crafted from reclaimed wood to the winners of the BiciScuola project, which celebrated its 25th edition during the first six months of the year.
The youth education project has engaged two million students across its history. In the first half of 2026, the programme registered 408 schools, 2,490 classes, 63,140 students and 4,860 teachers.
The project is designed to promote bicycle use, fair play, gender equality and healthy nutrition. During the race, it was supported by the Italian Traffic Police, Conad, Continental, Novi, Kometa and Sara Assicurazioni.
Kahoot also joined the 2026 initiative as Digital Learning Partner to provide interactive educational quizzes and digital content centered on the event’s core educational values.
