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.
Because the F1 Grand Prix of Spain will also take place in Madrid on 13 September, the Vuelta will not finish in the Spanish capital in 2026. For a long time, a Grand Finale in the Canary Islands was under consideration, with the riders tackling Gran Canaria and Tenerife over the final four days. It all looked very promising, with summit finishes on the Pico de las Nieves and Mount Teide, but Gran Canaria has since withdrawn. Tenerife may now host the final stages on its own; otherwise, it is expected that the Spanish Grand Tour will conclude with a race through the Sierra Nevada and an ensuing finish in Granada.
The route of the 2026 Vuelta a España will be announced on Wednesday 17 December 2025.
Vuelta a España 2026: video
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