Vuelta 2026 Favourites stage 14: Another feast for the climbers

fotobureau Cor VosIt's back to the climbers on La Vuelta's 14th stage. After spending the entire day riding either uphill or downhill, the riders face an average gradient of 7.2% over the final 11.9 kilometres in the Sierra de la Pandera. (Slideshow route/profile)

Published: 21 August 2026
Last updated: 5 September - today's weather conditions

The 154.5-kilometre stage with 4,338 metres of elevation gain starts relatively gently. After a rolling loop from and back to the start town of Jaén, the first categorised climbs don't come until the second half. After the Puerto los Villares (10.5 kilometres at 5.4%), the riders tackle the Puerto de Locubín (8.7 kilometres at 5.1%) before continuing on to the foot of the Sierra de la Pandera. The final climb rises for 11.4 kilometres at an average gradient of 7.2%. As is so often the case in Spain, it is an irregular climb, with several sections at double-digit gradients.

Carapaz is the only active rider who knows what it feels like to win at the Sierra de la Pandera. He did so from the breakaway in 2022. With another stage win, the Ecuadorian would become the only rider ever to win there twice.

Since Pogacar left the Vuelta, the race has really opened up. There is no longer a team dictating the race and, with the opening section being relatively easy, we expect the breakaway to build up such a big advantage that one of the attackers will go on to take the win.

If that doesn't happen, Mas looks to have the best credentials, simply because he keeps showing that he is in top form. Since stage 6, whenever it has really mattered, he consistently finished as the best-placed GC rider.

Favourites 14th stage 2026 Vuelta a España

*** Jarno Widar, Luke Tuckwell, Léo Bisiaux, João Almeida
** Enric Mas, Santiago Buitrago, Tobias Halland Johannessen, Juan Felipe Rodriguez
* Richard Carapaz, Felix Gall, Primoz Roglic, Andreas Leknessund, Jack Haig, Iván Sosa

Another interesting read: route 14th stage 2026 Vuelta.

Weather forecast:
The riders are in Andalusia, and the mercury is making sure they know it. It will be scorching hot today, even at the higher points along the route. By late afternoon, temperatures at the finish – at almost 1,800 metres above sea level – will still be close to 30°C.

Start: 35°C, partly cloudy, northerly wind (5 km/h)
Finish: 29°C, sunny, nothwesterly wind (18 km/h)