Vuelta 2026 Route stage 4: Andorra La Vella – Andorra La Vella

Tuesday 25 August – La Vuelta does not dilly-dally. As early as day four, a thriller of a stage awaits, starting and finishing in Andorra la Vella. Ultra-short at just 104 kilometres, and ultra-hard, with four climbs and a downhill finish.

It is bound to be brutal. The flag drops and the road pitches skywards. The first mountain of the day appears from the start. The Port d’Envalira drags on for 25 kilometres at an average gradient of 5%, with ramps up to 11%. The most punishing sections come in the final third of the climb.

After an equally long 25-kilometre descent, the Collada de Beixalis awaits. Less daunting because it's relatively short, but still far from gentle. The Beixalis measures 6.7 kilometres at an average of 8.5%, with gradients hitting 16%. Auch!

There is little respite before the road heads uphill once more. The Col d’Ordino offers 9.8 kilometres at an average gradient of 7.1%. At the summit, there are still 25.2 kilometres to go, most of which are downhill.

The riders fly towards the finish in Andorra la Vella, but just before reaching the Andorran capital, the organisers throw one last challenge in their path. The Alto de la Comella is a mere 4.2 kilometres in length, but its average gradient of 8.1% is no joke.

From the Comella, a 4-kilometre descent leads straight to the finish, where Sepp Kuss made his mark at the 2021 Tour de France, and where Vincenzo Nibali took a stage win in the 2017 Vuelta.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 4th stage 2026 Vuelta a España.