Vuelta 2026 Favourites stage 7: For climbers with an attacking mindset

fotobureau Cor VosOn the way to the Valdelinares ski station, the riders take on almost 3,700 metres of elevation gain. With none of the climbs particularly daunting, the breakaway looks likely to be given the freedom to fight it out for the win on stage 7 of La Vuelta. (Slideshow route/profile)

Published: 18 August 2026
Last updated: 28 August - today's weather forecast

Tadej Pogacar does not need it, but if the other GC contenders are up for it, they can try to put time into one another, as the roads trend upwards for most of the final 50 kilometres. But there is still a long way to go in the Vuelta and, while the route is challenging, it is by no means brutally hard, so there is a good chance the breakaway will be given the freedom to fight for the stage win. If the GC riders do decide to take each other on for the stage honours, there is only one candidate for the win: Tadej Pogacar.

After a flat to rolling opening, the Puerto de Remolcador (12.4 kilometres at 4.3%) and Alto de Zucaina (5.5 kilometres at 5%) serve as gentle warm-up climbs, before the route heads predominantly uphill over the final 50 kilometres. It starts with the Alto Fuente de Rubielos (6 kilometres at 6.3%), and after a rolling section, the Puerto de San Rafael serves up 11.1 kilometres at 4.3%. A short descent then precedes the final climb to the Valdelinares ski station: 9.8 kilometres at 5.9%.

Favourites 7th stage 2026 Vuelta a España

*** Andreas Leknessund, Jay Vine, Ben Tulett, Valentin Paret-Peintre
** Carlos Rodriguez, Tobias Halland Johannessen, Santiago Buitrago, Paul Double
* Tadej Pogacar, Eddie Dunbar, Raúl García Pierna, Jan Hirt, Embret Svestad-Bårdseng

Another interesting read: route 7th stage 2026 Vuelta.

Weather forecast:
Today's stage will be raced in calm conditions. As you might expect, it will be a little cooler at the summits, but there is no sign of the severe weather seen on the final climbs in stage 3.

Start: 27°C, sunny, partly cloudy, southerly wind (11 km/h)
Finish: 19°C, sunny, partly cloudy, north-westerly wind (10 km/h)