A 9.6-kilometre individual time trial will open three weeks of racing for the 2026 Vuelta a España, the entirety of stage 1 held on roads in Monaco.
The time trial will begin from Place du Casino and conclude on Boulevard Albert I, famous for the finish line of the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix each year. The route will showcase the Moulins and Larvotto districts, Port Hercule, Port de Fontvieille and take in the Fairmont Hairpin, a tight 180-degree turn in the Formula 1 circuit. The route was also noted as passing through Chapiteau de Fontvieille, a permanent circus-tent structure alongside the Mediterranean sea.
To mark 300 days until the 'Gran Partida' of the 81st Vuelta, organisers and Principality officials gathered at the One Monte-Carlo conference centre Saturday to disclose plans for the ITT, the ceremony positioned where the start ramp will be positioned in front of the casino at the complex.
"Monaco is synonymous with sporting excellence and organisational prowess. Some of the world's most prestigious events take place here, with the Formula 1 Grand Prix as the jewel in the crown. Launching La Vuelta in this setting is both an honour and a guarantee of success for everyone,’ said Guillén.
Organisers Unipublic also disclosed that Stage 2 will begin from the Jardin Exotique at Place du Palais Princier and will lead into France. The first pair of road stages are expected to finish on French terrain, with the Grand Tour entering Spain for stage 4. The full route for next year's Vuelta is expected to be revealed on December 17 in Monaco.
"Through this sporting event, we have the opportunity to show the world another side of our country, one that is committed to promoting popular sport in its noblest sense. Hosting La Vuelta is much more than a celebration of sport, its athletes and performance in a highly demanding discipline. It is a symbol of openness and influence for our country which, I would remind you, is the World Capital of Sport in 2025," said Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Prince Albert II joined Javier Guillén, director general of La Vuelta, Christophe Mirmand, minister of state for the Principality, and former pro cyclist Nicolas Roche, an ambassador of the official start, in an official hand-off ceremony, which was cancelled at the conclusion of the 2025 Vuelta in Madrid due to protests.
Throughout this year's event, pro-Palestinian protests disrupted racing, in large part calling for Israel-Premier Tech to discontinue racing. Five stages were seriously impacted, including one summit finish and the final stage and awards ceremony ultimately cancelled. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) was crowned the winner, his third Grand Tour title after winning the Tour de France twice.
Monaco becomes the only city to host the start of all three Grand Tours, doing so first in 1966 for the Giro d'Italia and then in 2009 for the Tour de France.
In 2026, it marks the sixth time the overall start of the Vuelta has been hosted outside Spain, the last two occasions beginning in Portugal in 2024, and Italy in 2025. The Lisbon start two years ago was also an individual time trial.
