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The La Vuelta peloton climbing Col de Spandelles during the 2023 race.
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Race finished

Spanish Grand Tour

La Vuelta 2026

A Monaco opener, two time trials, and a Granada finale after three weeks of Spanish climbing pressure.

La Vuelta 26 ran from 22 August to 13 September, starting with a Monaco time trial and finishing in Granada after 21 stages. The official route hub lists 3,275 km, two individual time trials, two rest days, and a final week that stacks the Jerez time trial, Peñas Blancas uphill arrival, and Collado del Alguacil mountain stage before Granada.

Aug 22 - Sep 13Monaco to Granada21 stages3275 kmGrand TourStage raceSafe

Photo Hugo LUC / Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Race overview

Whole-race context for the 2026 La Vuelta route, current stage timing, and sourced rider watchlist.

La Vuelta 2026 uses a 21-stage route from Monaco to Granada. Its opening block runs from the Monaco time trial through Font Romeu and Andorra before Spain, then along the coast at Roquetes and Castelló.

Time trial daysS1, S18
Mountain pressure10 stages
Longest dayS2 - 214.3 km
Race frame
22 August to 13 September, 21 stages from Monaco to Granada, with the official route hub listing 3,275 km and two rest days
Time trials
The race opens with a 9 km Monaco individual time trial and adds a 32.5 km El Puerto de Santa María to Jerez de la Frontera individual time trial on stage 18
Stage mix
The official route summary lists four flat stages, four hilly stages, one hilly uphill-arrival stage, four medium-mountain stages, six mountain stages, and two individual time trials

Watchlist

Riders to watch

A race-week watchlist built from the official Stage 1 start order and the Monaco-to-Granada route.

Tadej Pogačar at the 2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège team presentation.
Tadej PogačarUAE Team Emirates - XRGGC reference

The official Stage 1 start order confirms Pogačar, with UAE Team Emirates - XRG, and the Monaco time trial plus repeated mountain stages give him immediate GC and stage-shaping relevance.

Confirmed start list
João AlmeidaUAE Team Emirates - XRGGC co-leader option

The official Stage 1 start order confirms Almeida with UAE Team Emirates - XRG, and the route’s two time trials plus sustained mountain stages make him a clear overall-race reference.

Confirmed start list
Primož RogličRed Bull - BORA - hansgroheGrand Tour GC threat

The official Stage 1 start order confirms Roglič with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, and the technical Monaco opener plus the late Jerez test give the route two distinct time-trial filters around its mountain pressure.

Confirmed start list
Felix GallDecathlon CMA CGM TeamMountain GC challenger

The official Stage 1 start order confirms Gall with Decathlon CMA CGM Team, and Font Romeu, Andorra, Calar Alto, Sierra de La Pandera, and Collado del Alguacil give a climber repeated route-specific tests.

Confirmed start list
Mattias SkjelmoseLidl - TrekAll-round GC and hilly-stage option

The official Stage 1 start order confirms Skjelmose with Lidl - Trek, and the Monaco time trial, hilly opening week, and mountain finish at Alto de Aitana create several early race-specific opportunities.

Confirmed start list
Mads Pedersen at the 2020 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad team presentation.
Mads PedersenLidl - TrekHilly-stage and points-race option

The official Stage 1 start order confirms Pedersen with Lidl - Trek, and the long Monaco-to-Manosque road stage plus the hilly days to Roquetes and Elche de la Sierra give the route several durable-sprint opportunities.

Confirmed start list
Rider portrait credits
Watchlist sources
Distance3275km
Stages2121-stage route book
Display modeSpoiler-safeRace outcomes stay hidden on this page.

Route book

Stage route book

All 21 official stages in one spoiler-safe route book.

Stage guide

Stage route book

All 21 official La Vuelta 2026 stages in one spoiler-safe route book, including published timing windows for the Monaco-to-Castelló opening week.

Week 1Stage 1 to Stage 9
  1. Stage 1Aug 22

    Monaco > Monaco

    9.4 kmIndividual time-trial
    The 9.4 km Monaco individual time trial is officially framed as a very technical opener through the Principality, where small details can decide the first leader.
  2. Stage 2Aug 23

    Monaco > Manosque

    214.3 kmHilly
    The first road stage is a 214.3 km hilly run from Monaco to Manosque, already long enough to make positioning and durability matter.
  3. Stage 3Aug 24

    Gruissan - Aude > Font Romeu

    174 kmMedium mountains
    Stage 3 moves from Gruissan - Aude to Font Romeu over 174 km and gives the race its first official medium-mountain label.
  4. Stage 4Aug 25

    Andorra la Vella > Andorra la Vella

    104.8 kmMountain
    A compact 104.8 km mountain stage starts and finishes in Andorra la Vella, keeping the opening block selective before the race returns to Spain.
  5. Stage 5Aug 26

    Falset . Costa Daurada > Roquetes. Terres de l'Ebre

    173.3 kmHilly
    The hilly 173.3 km stage from Falset . Costa Daurada to Roquetes. Terres de l'Ebre keeps the first week in uneven terrain.
  6. Stage 6Aug 27

    Alcossebre > Castelló

    177.5 kmMedium mountains
    Stage 6 is listed as a 177.5 km medium-mountain day from Alcossebre to Castelló, extending the early climbing rhythm.
  7. Stage 7Aug 28

    vall d'Alba > Aramón Valdelinares

    149.8 kmMountain
    The 149.8 km stage from vall d'Alba to Aramón Valdelinares brings the race back into mountain-stage territory.
  8. Stage 8Aug 29

    Puçol > Xeraco

    171 kmFlat
    Stage 8 is a 171 km flat stage from Puçol to Xeraco, the first listed flat road stage after the opening time trial.
  9. Stage 9Aug 30

    La Vila Joiosa/ Villajoyosa > Alto de Aitana.Costa Blanca

    187.4 kmMountain
    The first block closes with a 187.4 km mountain stage from La Vila Joiosa/ Villajoyosa to Alto de Aitana.Costa Blanca.
Week 2Stage 10 to Stage 15
Rest day before this week
  1. Stage 10Sep 1

    Alcaraz > Elche de la Sierra

    184.7 kmHilly
    After the first rest day, the race resumes with a 184.7 km hilly stage from Alcaraz to Elche de la Sierra.
  2. Stage 11Sep 2

    Cartagena > Lorca

    153.8 kmFlat
    Stage 11 is a 153.8 km flat stage from Cartagena to Lorca, giving the second week one of its clearest speed days.
  3. Stage 12Sep 3

    Vera > Calar Alto

    166.6 kmMountain
    The 166.6 km mountain stage from Vera to Calar Alto restores climbing pressure in the middle of the race.
  4. Stage 13Sep 4

    Almuñécar > Loja

    192.8 kmMedium mountains
    Stage 13 runs 192.8 km from Almuñécar to Loja and is listed by the organizer as a medium-mountain stage.
  5. Stage 14Sep 5

    Jaén > Sierra de La Pandera

    154.5 kmMountain
    The Jaén to Sierra de La Pandera stage is a 154.5 km mountain day before the second week begins to close.
  6. Stage 15Sep 6

    Palma del Río > Córdoba

    189.7 kmMedium mountains
    Stage 15 takes a 189.7 km medium-mountain route from Palma del Río to Córdoba before the second rest day.
Week 3Stage 16 to Stage 21
Rest day before this week
  1. Stage 16Sep 8

    Cortegana > La Rábida. Palos de la Frontera

    181.1 kmHilly
    The final week opens with a 181.1 km hilly stage from Cortegana to La Rábida. Palos de la Frontera.
  2. Stage 17Sep 9

    Dos Hermanas > Sevilla

    185 kmFlat
    Stage 17 is a 185 km flat run from Dos Hermanas to Sevilla before the decisive final sequence begins.
  3. Stage 18Sep 10

    El Puerto de Santa María > Jerez de la Frontera

    32.1 kmIndividual time trial
    The second individual time trial covers 32.1 km from El Puerto de Santa María to Jerez de la Frontera.
  4. Stage 19Sep 11

    Vélez-Málaga > Peñas Blancas. Estepona

    210.8 kmHilly. Uphill arrival
    Stage 19 is officially listed as hilly with an uphill arrival, running 210.8 km from Vélez-Málaga to Peñas Blancas. Estepona.
  5. Stage 20Sep 12

    La Calahorra > Collado del Alguacil

    186.8 kmMountain
    The final mountain stage runs 186.8 km from La Calahorra to Collado del Alguacil on the penultimate day.
  6. Stage 21Sep 13

    Carrefour Granada > Granada

    112 kmFlat
    La Vuelta closes with a 112 km flat stage from Carrefour Granada to Granada.
Desk update info

First published on 2026-05-09.

Last updated on 2026-10-03.

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