The Vuelta a España 2026 already has an official route and confirms an edition designed for spectacle. The 81st edition of the Spanish round will be held between August 22 and September 13, starting in Monaco and finishing in Granada, an unusual outcome that breaks with the tradition of Madrid.
The route includes seven mountaintop finishes, a decisive time trial of more than 30 kilometers and a route that will cross four countries before heading fully into the southern peninsular.
Presented at the Monte-Carlo Sporting in the Principality of Monaco, the race will start again outside Spain for the third consecutive year. It will be a very Mediterranean Vuelta, with a special focus on Andalusia, which will cover its eight provinces and will concentrate a good part of the key stages in the last week.
A symbolic start in Monaco and first challenges in France and Andorra
The race will start with a 9-kilometer individual time trial through the streets of Monaco, starting next to the Casino and finishing at the Formula 1 street circuit. It will be a short but significant day, ideal to make the first differences without settling the general classification.
After the Monegasque start, the peloton will head into France for two stages, with a first big test on the third day, which will finish in Font-Romeu, its first time as a top finish. The following day, Andorra will host a demanding stage entirely on its territory, with four mountain passes – Envalira, Beixalis, Ordino and La Comella – that will put the climbers to the test from very early on.
Catalonia and Valencian Community, before the first break
From the Pyrenees, the Vuelta will head to Catalonia with a stage between Falset and Roquetes, before crossing into the Valencian Community. The sixth day, between Alcossebre and Castellón, will include several tricky points, including the Puerto de El Bartolo, with a gravel section that adds an unusual tactical element.
The closing of the first week will come with two important events: the high finish of Aramón Valdelinares, with five chained ascents, and the arrival at the Alto de Aitana, one of the most demanding days of the route, before the first rest day.
Andalusia takes control after the break
The second week will take the peloton through Castilla-La Mancha and the Region of Murcia, with stages with a deceptive profile, until reaching Andalusia. There will begin a succession of high finishes that will mark the general classification, with such demanding finishes as Calar Alto, after a stage with five passes, or La Pandera, one of the toughest climbs on the national calendar.
The second rest day will come after the stage between Palma del Río and Córdoba, before a final block designed to decide everything.
A final week designed to decide the overall
Unlike other editions, the third week will start with softer profiles, but will progressively increase in hardness. The 32-kilometer time trial between El Puerto de Santa María and Jerez de la Frontera will be key for the specialists, who will have a clear opportunity to gain time before the decisive weekend.
The final stages will include the ascent to Peñas Blancas and, as a great novelty, the arrival at the Collado del Alguacil, an unpublished pass in the province of Granada. With five previous ascents and a demanding final stretch, this day promises to be decisive before the final closure.
Granada, scene of the final outcome
The last stage will be held entirely in Granada. It will not be the traditional celebration ride, but a day with an urban route that will allow the winner of the Vuelta 2026 to be crowned in a historic setting, with the Alhambra as a backdrop.
With seven summit finishes, a long time trial and a route that concentrates the hardness in the final stretch, the Vuelta 2026 is shaping up to be an edition designed for complete climbers and riders capable of performing on all terrains. An open, demanding race with an unusual outcome that reinforces its identity as one of the most unpredictable grand tours on the international calendar.
