Barcelona prepares for Tour de France 2026 Grand Départ and welcomes Israel–Premier Tech name change

Speaking to AS in Paris after the official route presentation, Mayor Jaume Collboni expressed both pride and anticipation. “Barcelona is ready to host the start of the Tour de France, and it will be the most spectacular and most anticipated one yet,” he said. “It’s a city with a deep passion for cycling, and we’ve finally managed to bring the Tour to our streets. There are still a few surprises to reveal, but we’ll show a city fully committed to the event.”

The 2026 Grand Départ will mark only the third time the Tour begins in Spain, following San Sebastián in 1992 and Bilbao in 2023. The route from Barcelona will highlight the Catalan capital and nearby regions including Tarragona, Granollers and Girona. Sports councillor Berni Álvarez described it as “a huge challenge, but one we’re ready for,” adding that “this will easily be the best Grand Départ in history.”

Amid the celebrations, Collboni also touched on a sensitive topic. After this year's Vuelta, Barcelona’s city council voiced concerns over the participation of the Israel Premier Tech team, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The team has since announced that it will rebrand to move away from its Israeli identity, a change welcomed by the city.

“In the official list of teams published for next year, there is no team competing under the Israel name, and that’s good news,” Collboni said. “We have a strong commitment to human rights, and in that sense we can celebrate this change.”

With the race set to begin on July 4, 2026, and the team presentation on July 2, Barcelona is getting ready to show the world its love for the sport as it hosts the world’s biggest cycling race.