Vuelta 2026 Route stage 15: Palma del Río - Córdoba

Sunday 6 September - Due to the extreme heat, stage 15 of La Vuelta has been shortened from 189.7 to 110.2 kilometres. The riders make their way from Palma del Río to Córdoba across endlessly rolling roads through the scorching heart of Andalusia.

Last updated: 6 September 2026 – link to the results added

Race type: hilly stage
Likely winners: resilient sprinters
Weather: high temperatures, light winds

La Vuelta last visited Córdoba in 2024. A climb in the final 30 kilometres thinned out the peloton before Wout van Aert, in outstanding form throughout that edition, powered to an emphatic sprint victory.

This year's finale is not identical, but it follows a similar pattern. Once again, the riders face a climb inside the final 30 kilometres. The Puerto Artafi is a steady 5.9-kilometre ascent averaging 5.6%. As in 2024, the road does not descend immediately from the summit. Instead, it continues across a plateau for a few kilometres before finally dropping towards the flat finale.

A repeat of the 2024 scenario seems entirely possible, with the breakaway being reeled in before the Puerto Artafi, followed by attacks from riders looking to go clear, while others try to keep the race together for a reduced bunch sprint.

The terrain leading up to the Artafi is typical of this part of Spain. The riders spend much of the day rolling through undulating olive groves. The road briefly becomes more demanding on the Puerto de Forestal (6.7 kilometres at 4.1%), but that climb is unlikely to have much of an impact. All signs point to the race only coming to life on the approach to the Puerto Artafi.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 15th stage.

Another interesting read: results 15th stage 2026 Vuelta a España.