Vuelta a España 2026
22.08-13.09
The 81st Vuelta a España took place from August 22 to September 13, starting with a Gran Partida in Monaco and uniquely finishing in Granada. The route covered 3,310.6km and featured a total elevation gain of 58,156m across 21 stages. Tadej Pogačar entered the race as the major favourite, but his withdrawal opened the door for Enric Mas, who went on to claim overall victory and his first Grand Tour win on home soil.
How to watch?
Curious about how to watch the 2026 Vuelta a España? Discover it in our complete how-to-watch guide, featuring a full overview of all broadcasters and live streaming options.
The route of the Vuelta a España 2026
The route for the 2026 Vuelta a España covers 3,310.6km and features a total elevation gain of 58,156m. Over the course of 21 stages, riders will face the following:
- 9 flat or hilly stages
- 10 medium mountain and mountain stages
- 2 individual time trials
- There are two rest days during the 2026 Vuelta a España on August 31 and September 7
The 2026 Vuelta a España begins with a historic foreign grand départ in Monaco. The race kicks off with a technical 9km individual time trial before Stage 2 takes the peloton on a long, rolling 215km journey into France to finish with an uphill drag in Manosque. Stage 3 introduces the medium mountains early, tasking the climbers with the first-category Col de Mont-Louis ahead of a summit finish at Font Romeu. Stage 4 delivers an explosive wildcard day, packing the Port de Envalira, Collada de Beixalis, and Coll d'Ordino into just 104km of racing within Andorra.
Following a rolling fifth stage built for sprinters, the general classification battle returns to Spain. Stage 6 is another tricky mountain test to Castelló, with a category one mountain test inside the final 30km. This is followed by an uphill finish to Aramón Valdelinares on stage 7.
A transitional, mostly flat eighth stage sets up a brutal Stage 9, which forces the peloton over six categorised climbs before concluding at the iconic Alto de Aitana.
The second week balances rolling break opportunities with harsh mountain tests. Stages 10, 11, and 13 offer rolling or flat terrain that will trigger a cat-and-mouse game between breakaway artists and sprinters.
Sandwiched in between, Stage 12 brings a daunting Andalusian mountain test featuring the double challenge of the Alto de Velefique and a high-altitude finish at Calar Alto. The week closes out with Stage 14's brutal summit finish on the high-altitude Sierra de la Pandera, followed by a medium-mountain day into Córdoba on Stage 15.
The final week provides defining tests for the overall contenders. Back-to-back flat stages on Stages 16 and 17 offer a final respite for the sprinters before a flat, wind-exposed 32.5km individual time trial on Stage 18 reshapes the standings. Stage 19 introduces a long, deceptively hard 205.1km day finishing on the category-one Peñas Blancas climb.
Stage 20 stands as the queen stage, accumulating over 5,000 metres of elevation gain across five climbs, culminating in the race's only Categoria Especial test on the steep Collada del Alguacil. Breaking away from tradition, the race concludes in Granada on Stage 21, where five loops over the Alhambra climb guarantee an explosive, attacking finale to the Grand Tour.
A full stage-by-stage guide for the 2026 route can be found here.
Favourites
Tadej Pogačar starts the 2026 Vuelta a España as the overwhelming favourite, chasing the only Grand Tour title missing from his palmarès after winning a fifth Tour de France. Primož Roglič remains his biggest proven rival, although recovery from a training accident clouds his form.
Felix Gall and Oscar Onley arrive in excellent shape after strong performances at the Vuelta a Burgos, while Enric Mas, Mattias Skjelmose and João Almeida add further podium depth. Carlos Rodríguez offers consistency, and Cian Uijtdebroeks hopes to reset after a difficult Tour. Unless fatigue affects Pogačar, the race for second may be wide open.
Alongside the GC favourites, Mads Pedersen and Wout van Aert will also be on the start line, ready to animate the race.
Read more in our preview and discover the full start list here.
