Rumoured 2026 Vuelta route raises alarm: extreme climbing and a plan to attract Pogacar, but uncertainty about finishing place

With the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France presentations completed, two of the three Grand Tour routes are already known. Now only the Vuelta a España remains, with its 21 stages to be unveiled on 17 December. We already know a few things - and the rumours alone are frightening riders. What exactly does the 2026 edition have in store?

One thing is certain: once again, the Vuelta will not start on Spanish soil. After opening in Italy and Portugal in recent years, the race will now begin in Monaco. The principality will host a 9.6-kilometre time trial, partly on the iconic Formula 1 circuit - undoubtedly intended to lure Monaco local Tadej Pogacar. Whether he truly starts is doubtful, given the World Championships in Canada later in the season and the European Championships held in his home country.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, the Vuelta will pass through four countries: Monaco, France, Andorra and Spain. Andorra was also featured in the most recent edition, where it was a climbing spectacle, and it won’t be the only chance for the riders to suffer. Spanish media suggest that the 2026 route may be one of the most brutal in history.

It’s a bold claim - but not an empty one. According to sources, the race could feature between seven and nine summit finishes, all in stages with over 4,000 metres of elevation gain. One new climb is expected to debut, while the rest will be familiar to fans, including Sierra de la Pandera and Alto de Aitana.

Richard Carapaz won on La Pandera in 2022, while Pierre Latour triumphed atop Aitana in the final mountain stage of 2016. So far, mythical climbs such as Lagos de Covadonga, Alto de l’Angliru or Bola del Mundo have not been mentioned, but never say never. A second time trial is also expected, though its length and placement remain unknown.

One thing seems to be clear: the finish will not be in Madrid. That has little to do with last edition’s final stage being cancelled after pro-Palestinian protests disrupted the ceremonial finale. In 2026, the planned finish was set for Gran Canaria - but that will not happen. And the reason does have connection to the same protests.

Gran Canaria’s Island Council has blocked the race from coming. While many organisations lifted boycotts of the former Israel-Premier Tech team after it distanced itself from its Israeli identity, the island has not. “Despite reports of Sylvan Adams leaving team management and the team’s financial issues, the owner remains the same,” the council told AS.

There is also the financial aspect: the organisational costs would be too high for Gran Canaria to cover alone. So the Vuelta will not finish on the tourist island. Where, then, could they go? Will Madrid step in after all, or will the final stage head somewhere entirely new? We will learn everything on 17 December.