Pidcock can shine on intriguing parcours - 2026 Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol preview

The Vuelta a Andalucia was first raced in 1925 and over the past 101 years the event has showcased the variety of terrain in the region. Pavel Sivakov is the defending champion after beating Clément Berthet and Tom Pidcock in 2025. No winner was declared in the 2024 edition due to a lack of state security following farmers' protests, which reduced the racing to just a single 5km time trial. 

In 2023, Tadej Pogačar won by 1:18 over Mikel Landa. 2022 saw Wout Poels claim victory, with Miguel Ángel López winning in 2021 and the recently retired Jakob Fuglsang victorious in 2020

Across the five stages of the 2026 edition, the peloton will cover a distance of 815 kilometres with an accumulated elevation gain of over 11,000 metres.

Stage 1 opens up with what appears to be a day for the handful of fast men on the startlist. The 150km day begins with an immediate ascent of the category 1 Puerto del Madrono, which comes in at 19.8km in length at an average gradient of 4.9%. 

The final kilometre of the climb is the most difficult, with gradients reaching 7%. King of the Mountain contenders will be battling almost certainly in the breakaway at this moment of the race.

Two further category three climbs remain before the riders descend back down from over 1,000 metres of altitude, with the remainder of the stage a flat and fast run-in to the finish in Pizarra.

Stage 2 from Torrox to Otura contains the most elevation gain in the 2026 edition of the Vuelta a Andalucia, with over 2,700 metres of elevation, but on paper it's another day for the versatile sprinter. It won't be without a challenge, with some rugged terrain early in the day. 

The remaining challenges of the stage are an unclassified climb with 39km to go, which could provide a launch pad for riders to stage an assault to victory, with the climb averaging 6.6%. The Alto de la Malaha is the last categorised climb on the day before a draggy uphill run-in to the line. 

Stage 3 is a rugged and rolling day in the saddle with numerous short ascents dotted throughout the 180km. The first half of the stage contains numerous uncategorised ascents and some descents, but the key action point will be the category three climb with bonus seconds offered at the summit of the climb, almost to entice the GC riders to go on the offensive before the finish in Lopera.

Perhaps it's not out of the realm of possibilities to see a GC contender go on the offensive here due to the previous stages, where the gaps in the classification are likely to be marginal.

Inside the final 10km, the unclassified climb, Porcuna, is a potential attacking point, although any daring attackers will have to hold strong descending abilities with 8km of descending to hold off a potential bunch behind before the run-in.

Stage 4 to Pozoblanco is 166km long and the profile of the stage almost mirrors those of stages 1 and 2, with a climb to begin proceedings, followed by a stage containing a few little kickers, which shouldn't prove to be a problem for the vast majority of riders. 

The second half of the stage completed on a local circuit, and the day's Golden Kikometre bonus sprints are located just 15km from the finish line, and there is some lumpy terrain in the finale to boot.

Stage 5 should be the most entertaining stage of the 2026 edition, with the GC likely to be tight towards the top. The majority of the action is likely to come on the two ascents of the Alto de la Primera Cruz, with race arriving at the summit for the second time with 5.5km to go. There are bonus seconds on offer atop each ascent. 

Based on the parcours and the form he showed in Murcia, Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5) has all the necessary qualities to go on and win the GC, with the Briton possessing a strong sprint and climbing legs, as well as the devastating descending ability we have seen over the years. 

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe has Aleksandr Vlasov. Based on his form in Valenciana, Vlasov is potentially the better option for the German team in Andalucia on the basis that he can hold a consistent sprint in reduced situations.

2025 champion Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) also has the ability to get involved in reduced situations. The Frenchman will be aiming to continue UAE's fine start to the 2026 season, with Tim Wellens and Jan Christen the likely backup options. Christen, however, could be a co-leader as he comes in off the back of GC success at the AlUla Tour.

Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United) is bound to be right up there in the fight with the Frenchman possessing one of the strongest kicks in the entire men's professional peloton, and that will certainly be needed for this edition.

Other contenders to watch out for in the race include Johannes Kulset (Uno-X Mobility), Iván Romeo (Movistar), and Anton Schiffer (Visma | Lease a Bike).

For the sprints, 2025 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner, Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility), looks a cut above the rest of the sprinting opposition, with the tall Norwegian likely to face some competition from Orluis Aular (Movistar), Marc Brustenga (Equipo Kern Pharma), Paul Penhoet (Groupama FDJ-United), and Fernando Gaviria (Caja Rural Seguros RGA).