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2026 Vuelta a España | A Spanish playground for Wout van Aert, Tadej Pogačar and Mads Pedersen

Cycling
by David Bavin-Hobbs
Wednesday, 05 August 2026 at 12:16
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The Vuelta a España, the final Grand Tour of 2026, is already just around the corner. After Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar asserted their supremacy at the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France respectively, not everyone is expecting an especially close battle in Spain. That will certainly not be the fault of the route, however, because the organizers have put together a spectacular course.
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Route, stage favorites, and times for the 2026 Vuelta a España

Stage 1, Saturday, August 22: Monaco – Monaco (9.4 km, individual time trial)

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The Vuelta a España begins this year with an individual time trial in Monaco, home to Tadej Pogačar and numerous other professional riders. The 9.4-kilometer opening stage of the year’s third Grand Tour starts beside the famous casino in Monte Carlo.
The riders will then tackle approximately nine highly technical kilometers before finishing at the same location where the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix traditionally concludes.
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Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Times
Start: 4:17 p.m. (first rider)
Finish: 7:30 p.m. (last rider)

Stage 2, Sunday, August 23: Monaco – Manosque (214.0 km)

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The riders immediately face the longest stage of the entire race on day two. They start in Monaco but, unsurprisingly, will leave the small principality fairly quickly during the first road stage. The route follows the Côte d’Azur, passing through areas including Nice before continuing toward Provence.
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The finish comes in Manosque after more than 214 kilometers of hilly racing, with the final kilometer rising gradually toward the line. The town will already be familiar to cycling fans from the two most recent editions of the Tour de la Provence, where Mads Pedersen won in both 2024 and 2025.
Favorites
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Bryan Coquard (Cofidis)
Times
Start: 12:16 p.m.
Finish: 5:15 p.m.

Stage 3, Monday, August 24: Gruissan - Font Romeo (174.0 km)

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The Vuelta heads into the high mountains for the first time on day three, although the race will still be in France. From Gruissan, the riders travel toward Font-Romeu, where the finish is situated at an altitude of 1,937 meters.
The first half of the stage is relatively flat, but the road then begins to rise gradually. The riders will not face particularly severe gradients just yet. Both the Col de Mont-Louis, measuring 19 kilometers at 4.9 percent, and the final 10 kilometers toward Font-Romeu, also averaging 4.9 percent, can be described as steady, rolling climbs. Will a breakaway rider survive, or will a reduced group of general-classification contenders sprint for victory?
Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Ivan Romeo (Movistar)
Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla)
Times
Start: 1:21 p.m.
Finish: 5:18 p.m.

Stage 4, Tuesday, August 25: Andorra - Andorra (104.8 km)

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If Monday’s stage allowed the riders to ease themselves into the mountains, they will need to have made the most of it. Stage 4 in Andorra is an exceptionally demanding test. Several mountain passes are packed into fewer than 105 kilometers, and there is barely a meter of flat road between the start and finish.
The Port d’Envalira begins almost immediately after the start and measures 24.4 kilometers at an average of 5.0 percent. After approximately 50 kilometers, the riders pass through Encamp before tackling the Collada de Beixalís, 6.5 kilometers at 8.6 percent, the Coll d’Ordino, 9.9 kilometers at 7.0 percent, and La Comella, 3.8 kilometers at 5.4 percent. By the end of this stage, we should already have a clear picture of the balance of power among the main contenders.
Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek)
Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Times
Start: 2:49 p.m.
Finish: 5:22 p.m.

Stage 5, Wednesday, August 26: Falset, Costa Daurada – Roquetes, Terres de l'Ebre (173.4 km)

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Stage 5 provides one of the relatively rare opportunities for the fast men at this Vuelta a España, but it would not be the Vuelta without a sting in the tail. The riders cross the summit of the Alto de Paüls, a 3.9-kilometer climb averaging 6.6 percent, with only 24 kilometers remaining.
The type of sprinter who chooses to compete in the Vuelta can normally survive a climb or two. A bunch sprint therefore remains the most likely outcome.
Favorites
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Alberto Dainese (Soudal Quick-Step)
Times
Start: 1:34 p.m.
Finish: 5:20 p.m.

Stage 6, Thursday, August 27: Alcossebre - Castello (176.0 km)

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“A fun stage,” is how route designer Fernando Escartín describes the sixth day of the Vuelta a España. Escartín is never afraid of experimenting with an unusual feature or two, so that description should be taken seriously. This time, the novelty is a three-kilometer gravel section on the final climb of the day.
The riders will already accumulate plenty of elevation earlier in the stage, but the decisive challenge comes near the end on the Puerto El Bartolo, a 9.1-kilometer climb averaging 7.2 percent. After the summit, approximately 20 kilometers remain to Castelló. Could that be enough for Wout van Aert to challenge for victory, either from the peloton or as part of the breakaway?
Favorites
Alberto Bettiol (XDS-Astana)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Leo Bisiaux (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Times
Start: 1:11 p.m.
Finish: 5:18 p.m.

Stage 7, Friday, August 28: Vall d'Alba – Aramón Valdelinares (149.8 km)

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Escartín continues to scatter climbing meters throughout the route. Stage 7 can also be classified as a mountain stage, with the final 50 kilometers rising almost continuously toward Aramón Valdelinares. The hardest part is saved for the finale, as the final 8.3 kilometers climb at an average gradient of 6.5 percent.
The Vuelta has finished on this climb once before. Winner Anacona triumphed from the breakaway in 2014. Should we expect a similar scenario this time, or will the general-classification riders contest the stage victory?
Favorites
Clément Berthet (Groupama-FDJ)
Raul Garcia Pierna (Movistar)
Paul Double (Jayco AlUla)
Times
Start: 1:40 p.m.
Finish: 5:19 p.m.

Stage 8, Saturday, August 29: Pucol - Xeraco (168.0 km)

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This is a typical Vuelta day—at least where the sprinters are concerned. The route between Puçol and Xeraco is almost completely flat, but the organizers have still managed to find a hill in the final quarter of the stage to make matters more interesting.
That obstacle is the Puerto de Barx, an 8.6-kilometer climb averaging 3.8 percent, with its summit located 23 kilometers from the finish in Xeraco.
Favorites
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Times
Start: 1:42 p.m.
Finish: 5:20 p.m.

Stage 9, Sunday, August 30: Villajoyosa – Alto de Aitana (187.0 km)

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The organizers will at least ensure that the riders enter the first rest day with tired legs, because the second Sunday of the Vuelta features six categorized climbs. The peloton travels along the Costa Blanca on roads frequently used by professional riders during their winter training camps.
The route includes the Coll de Rates and the steep El Miserat before the riders fight for victory on the Alto de Aitana, a 21.1-kilometer climb averaging 5.8 percent. Pierre Latour won the most recent Vuelta finish there in 2016, finishing ahead of riders including Robert Gesink.
Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Joao Almeida (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Times
Start: 12:26 p.m.
Finish: 5:20 p.m.

Stage 10, Tuesday, September 1: Alcaraz – Elche de la Sierra (184.0 km)

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Following a well-earned rest day on the Costa Blanca, the riders return to their bikes at the beginning of a new month. They face a 184.7-kilometer transition stage from Alcaraz to Elche de la Sierra, with several possible race scenarios.
The most likely outcome appears to be an opportunity for the Classics-style riders. A 1.7-kilometer climb at 5.5 percent is followed by a short descent and a final three kilometers that rise at approximately 3.3 percent, making the finish ideal for the strongest sprinters.
Favorites
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Times
Start: 1:00 p.m.
Finish: 5:18 p.m.

Stage 11, Wednesday, September 2: Cartagena – Lorca (151.3 km)

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On paper, Stage 11 is one of the easiest days in this edition of the Vuelta a España. There is some climbing during the opening part of the stage, while the Alto del Morrón de Totana provides a third-category obstacle in the run-in toward the finish. However, it is unlikely to frighten the sprinters who have survived the race’s first 10 days.
Favorites
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Alberto Dainese (Soudal Quick-Step)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Times
Start: 2:08 p.m.
Finish: 5:21 p.m.

Stage 12, Thursday, September 3: Vera – Calar Alto (166.0 km)

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The riders return to the Spanish mountains on day 12. The stage begins in Vera, and a strong breakaway group is likely to form across the first three climbs. After approximately 20 kilometers through the valley, the stage concludes with two first-category ascents.
The Alto de Velefique comes first and measures 11 kilometers at an average gradient of 7.0 percent. The finish is then located on the irregular Calar Alto, which is 17 kilometers long at 5.5 percent and is not necessarily the most destructive summit finish on the route. Miguel Ángel López won the most recent Vuelta stage to finish there, in 2017.
Favorites
Jarno Widar (Lotto-Intermarché)
Pablo Castrillo (Movistar)
Filippo Zana (Soudal Quick-Step)
Times
Start: 1:07 p.m.
Finish: 5:17 p.m.

Stage 13, Friday, September 4: Almuñécar - Loja (192.8 km)

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The outcome of Stage 13 may depend heavily on how the opening part of the race develops. After approximately 20 kilometers, the riders begin the 14.1-kilometer ascent through Los Guájares, which has an average gradient of 5.1 percent. The road does not immediately descend on the other side, with the main descent only arriving after approximately 85 kilometers of racing.
The Puerto de Granada provides another obstacle during the second half of the stage. Taken together, the profile appears to offer an excellent opportunity for the breakaway.
Favorites
Ivan Romeo (Movistar)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Times
Start: 12:41 p.m.
Finish: 5:16 p.m.

Stage 14, Saturday, September 5: Jaén - Sierra de La Pandera (154.5 km)

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The third weekend of the Vuelta begins with another mountain stage. The route rises and falls throughout the day before concluding on the Sierra de La Pandera, an 8.5-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 7.9 percent.
The Vuelta most recently finished here in 2022, when Richard Carapaz claimed victory. Earlier winners on the climb include Rafał Majka in 2017, Damiano Cunego in 2009, Andrey Kashechkin in 2006, Alejandro Valverde in 2003 and Roberto Heras in 2002. That is an impressive list.
Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Ben Tulett (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Times
Start: 1:33 p.m.
Finish: 5:19 p.m.

Stage 15, Sunday, September 6: Palma del Río – Córdoba (184.0 km)

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If Wout van Aert and the other breakaway specialists were asked to design their ideal stage, it might look a great deal like Stage 15 of this Vuelta a España. The beginning and end are relatively flat, but between those two sections the riders encounter hill after hill after hill.
The finish is in Córdoba, where Van Aert won one of his three Vuelta stages two years ago. Magnus Cort, who triumphed in Córdoba in 2021, is also expected to return.
Favorites
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Magnus Cort (Uno-X)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Times
Start: 12:46 p.m.
Finish: 5:17 p.m.

Stage 16, Tuesday, September 7: - (km)

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The third week of the Vuelta a España is normally known for being exceptionally demanding, but that description does not immediately apply to Stage 16. The riders should not underestimate the route from Cortegana to La Rábida, however, because the opening half still contains a considerable amount of climbing before the flatter run toward the coast.
Favorites
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Alberto Dainese (Soudal Quick-Step)
Times
Start: 1:18 p.m.
Finish: 5:19 p.m.

Stage 17, Wednesday, September 8: Dos Hermanas – Seville (189.0 km)

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This could almost be a copy-and-paste version of Stage 16. The final Wednesday stage of the Vuelta, finishing in Seville, also appears to be designed for the fast men. However, the last week of a Grand Tour can occasionally transform such a stage into the final ideal opportunity for a powerful breakaway. The fact that the closing days take place entirely in the heat of southern Spain could also add to the riders’ accumulated fatigue.
Favorites
Alberto Dainese (Soudal Quick-Step)
Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Marijn van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost)
Times
Start: 1:24 p.m.
Finish: 5:20 p.m.

Stage 18, Thursday, September 9: El Puerto de San María – Jerez de la Frontera (32 km, time trial)

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The second individual time trial of the Vuelta a España takes place on day 18. This time, the riders face 32 kilometers toward Jerez de la Frontera on predominantly flat roads.
Favorites
Jay Vine (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step)
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Times
Start: 2:07 p.m.
Finish: 5:30 p.m.

Stage 19, Friday, September 10: Vélez-Málaga – Peñas Blancas, Estepona (205.0 km)

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The final weekend is approaching, which means Unipublic and ASO are heading back into the mountains. The last Friday of the race features a long, 210-kilometer stage that concludes at Peñas Blancas near Estepona.
The finishing climb measures 18.7 kilometers and has an average gradient of 6.5 percent. The Vuelta most recently finished there in 2022, when Richard Carapaz held off Wilco Kelderman to take the victory.
Favorites
Ben Tulett (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Leo Bisiaux (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Steff Cras (Soudal Quick-Step)
Times
Start: 12:07 p.m.
Finish: 5:14 p.m.

Stage 20, Saturday, September 11: La Calahora – Collado de Alguacil (187.0 km)

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This is what we call a queen stage. Across 187 kilometers in the penultimate stage of the Vuelta a España, the riders must overcome more than 5,000 meters of elevation gain, much of it on roads with extremely demanding gradients.
The climbing is spread across two ascents of the Alto de Hazallanas, measuring 7.3 kilometers at 9.5 percent, the Puerto del Purche, 8.4 kilometers at 8.0 percent, and the final climb to the Collado del Alguacil, which averages 10 percent across 8.3 kilometers.
Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Joao Almeida (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Times
Start: TBD
Finish: TBD

Stage 21, Sunday, September 12: Carrefour Granada – Granada (99.4 km)

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The Vuelta a España will not finish in Madrid. That decision is not related to the disturbances surrounding last year’s race but instead to the Formula 1 event being held in the Spanish capital. The Vuelta therefore travels farther south for its conclusion in Granada.
The riders start beside Carrefour Granada before finishing at the Alhambra after 99 kilometers—a striking contrast between the beginning and end of the stage. It is also a genuinely entertaining finishing circuit, with a 1.6-kilometer hill averaging seven percent providing the final obstacle of the entire race. It could produce a Paris-style finale.
Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Times
Start: Not yet announced
Finish: Not yet announced

Read also

Tadej Pogačar hits the gravel as Vuelta a España preparation beginsTadej Pogačar hits the gravel as Vuelta a España preparation begins
Vuelta hopefuls Brennan and Tulett deliver superb Visma 1-2 in Burgos openerVuelta hopefuls Brennan and Tulett deliver superb Visma 1-2 in Burgos opener
PreviewsIDL-productionsFelix GallWout van AertMads PedersenJoão AlmeidaTadej PogacarVuelta a EspañaMatthew Brennan
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.   
David Bavin-Hobbs | LinkedIn | Email
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