Tour de France 2026 Route stage 1: Barcelona - Barcelona

Saturday, 4 July - The 2026 Tour de France gets underway with a 19.7-kilometre team time trial. After a flat opening section, the finale is hilly. Unlike in a traditional time trial, where the time of the fifth rider counts, each rider’s individual time is recorded.

The Tour gets underway on the Mediterranean coast. The start is at the Parc del Fòrum, on the northern side of Barcelona, and along the waterfront the teamsthunder towards the Port Olímpic before cutting straight through the city on long, arrow-straight roads. Breakneck speeds are expected on this section of the course.

Just after halfway, the riders pass the Sagrada Família, and just after Parc Joan Miró the character of the route changes. From there it becomes more twisting and the road begins to rise. Over the Plaça d’Espanya the riders charge towards Montjuïc, starting with a 1.1-kilometre climb at 5.1%. A false-flat descent of 1 kilometre and another kilometre on the flat then precedes a final 800-metre rise to the line. This finishing stretch climbs at an average gradient of 7%.

The fact that each rider’s individual time counts makes the team time trial all the more intesting. Strong climbers may choose to leave their team-mates behind on Montjuïc in pursuit of the fastest possible time.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 1st stage 2026 Tour de France.