The Gran Salida of the 81st edition of the Vuelta a España takes place on Saturday, 22 August 2026, in Monaco. It will be the third consecutive foreign start, following Portugal (2024) and Italy (2025). The 1st stage is a 9.6-kilometre individual time trial held entirely on Monegasque territory. Stage 2 will set off from the Mediterranean tax haven to a destination that has yet to be announced. The race will finish on Sunday, 13 September, most likely in Granada. (Slideshow route/profile)
Because the Spanish Grand Prix will also be held in Madrid on 13 September 2026, the Vuelta will not finish in the Spanish capital. For a long time, a Grande Finale in the Canary Islands was on the table, with the riders set to race across Gran Canaria and Tenerife during the final four days. It looked spectacular, with summit finishes on the Pico de las Nieves and Mount Teide, but after Gran Canaria withdrew, Granada stepped forward as a candidate to host the finale of the 2026 Vuelta.
The route for the upcoming edition will be unveiled on Wednesday. It appears that a large part of the race will run through the scorching south, particularly Andalusia.
Read about the route and rumours concerning La Vuelta.
Vuelta a España 2026: video
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