Vuelta a Andalucía 2026
18.02-22.02
The 2026 Vuelta a Andalucía Ruta Ciclista Del Sol is a five day UCI ProSeries stage race running from Wednesday, February 18 to Sunday, February 22. The peloton will cover 815 kilometres and more than 11,000 metres of climbing, with a layout that mixes early climbing, rolling terrain and repeated chances for time bonuses that could decide the general classification by seconds.
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Route
In total, the route adds up to 815 kilometres and above 11,000 metres of climbing, combining tough openings, punchy rolling terrain and bonus seconds that could turn the general classification into a game of fine details.
Stage 1 looks like a sprinters day on paper, but it starts with a big early test on the category 1 Puerto del Madroño, followed by two category 3 climbs before a long descent and a flat run in. Stage 2 packs the most elevation gain of the race, including a long mid stage climb and a draggy uphill finish that suits versatile sprinters and punchy GC riders rather than pure fast men.
Stage 3 is rugged and rolling, with bonus seconds on a category 3 climb that could tempt GC attacks, plus a late unclassified rise that can launch a move before a descent to the finish.
Stage 4 is similar in spirit to the opening days, with an early category 2 climb and a local circuit featuring a Golden Kilometre close to the finish for more bonus seconds. Stage 5 should be the key showdown, built around two ascents of the Alto de la Primera Cruz, with the final summit just 5.5 kilometres from the line and bonus seconds on offer again.
Read our full preview here.
Favourites
Tom Pidcock looks tailor made for this parcours, with the mix of short climbs, technical descending and reduced group finishes playing to his range of skills. The time bonuses across multiple stages also reward riders who can sprint well after climbing, which strengthens his case as a top GC pick.
Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe bring a strong duo in Aleksandr Vlasov and Jai Hindley, with Vlasov especially well suited if the race repeatedly comes down to reduced sprints. Defending champion Pavel Sivakov is another natural fit for these scenarios, while UAE also have depth with Tim Wellens and Jan Christen, who arrives with recent GC success and could be treated as a joint leader.
Romain Grégoire is a major threat on punchy finishes thanks to his kick, while for the sprint stages Søren Wærenskjold stands out, with Orluis Aular, Marc Brustenga, Paul Penhoet and Fernando Gaviria among the main challengers.
Read our preview here and check out the start llst via this link.
