Vuelta 2026 Route stage 18: El Puerto Santa María - Jerez de la Frontera

Thursday 10 September - The second individual time trial of the Vuelta takes the riders from El Puerto de Santa María to Jerez de la Frontera. Featuring 217 metres of climbing, the 32.1-kilometre course is virtually flat.

Last updated: 22 August 2026 – final route confirmed

Race type: flat ITT
Likely winners: TT specialists
Weather: forecast pending

El Puerto de Santa María lies on the Gulf of Cádiz at the mouth of the Guadalete River. Jerez de la Frontera is only around 16 kilometres away, but the riders will cover roughly twice that distance in this individual time trial.

After rolling down the start ramp, the riders negotiate a series of bends on their way out of El Puerto de Santa María before settling into the big ring for a prolonged high-speed effort. A corner in El Portal, 12.7 kilometres into the course, briefly interrupts the rhythm, but soon it is back to full gas. There are also a few twists and turns in Lomopardo and around the Estella del Marqués time check. Apart from those sections, the route is tailor-made for pure time trial specialists.

The ITT skirts around the eastern side of Jerez de la Frontera before the riders approach the finish from the north. The finish line is on the long, arrow-straight Avenida Andalucía.

There are two intermediate time checks, after 11.7 and 22.1 kilometres.

Twelve editions ago, when the race opened with a team time trial won by Movistar, La Vuelta last visited Jerez de la Frontera . For the last individual time trial in the sherry capital, however, we have to go back to 1992. That, too, was the Gran Salida of the Vuelta. Back then, Jelle Nijdam set the fastest time and claimed the first leader's jersey.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 18th stage 2026 Vuelta a España.

The first rider starts at 14:06 and the GC leader is expected to finish around 17:30 - both local times (CEST).

Another interesting read: favourites to win the ITT to Jerez de la Frontera