Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol 2026

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Stage 5: Tom Pidcock descends to final stage win as Iván Romeo holds on for overall

Stage 5 of the Vuelta a Andalucía did not disappoint with Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) storming to victory with an attack up the final climb, 5km from the finish. Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) took second place, 10 seconds down, while Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United) completed the day’s podium a further two seconds back.

The overall title went to Iván Romeo (Movistar), who managed to hold on to his yellow jersey despite all the attacking on the final day of racing.

Stage 4: Tom Crabbe storms to victory, claiming second career win this season

It was another big chance for the sprinters on stage 4 of the Vuelta a Andalucia, and it was taken by young Belgian sprint sensation, Tom Crabbe (Flanders-Baloise), ahead of Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) and Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies), rounding off the podium in Pozoblanco.

Iván Romeo (Movistar) remains the overall race leader heading into the fifth and final stage on Sunday, seven seconds ahead of Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility), while Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ United) is now in third place overall.

Stage 3: Milan Fretin finds a way through chaos to narrowly win bunch sprint, Romeo remains leader

After two runners-up spots, Cofidis sprinter Milan Fretin clinched his first victory of the season in stage 3 of the Vuelta a Andalucia, but he had to work very hard for it. The chaotic, narrow, technical finish in Lopera finally produced a three-way sprint, with Fretin just getting the better of Paul Penhöet (Groupama-FDJ United) and stage 1 winner Christophe Laporte (VIsma-Lease a Bike).

Iván Romeo (Movistar) had a relatively straightforward first day in the leader's jersey, following his spectacular breakaway victory on stage 2.

Stage 2: Spanish National Champion Iván Romeo powers home alone for stage win and overall lead

The Vuelta a Andalucía was turned on its head by a dangerous long-distance attack featuring Iván Romeo (Movistar) and Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility). Romeo and Leknessund attacked over the top of the hardest climb of the day, the Cuesta de la Cabra and after dropping one breakaway companion, Josh Burnett (Burgos-BH-Burpellet), with 40 kilometres ago, stayed away to fight it out for the lead and stage win.

Romeo used a late short ascent to drop Leknessund and finish seven seconds ahead, both the day's honour and the provisional top spot in the bag, whilst Alex Aranburu (Cofidis) led in a shattered peloton almost a minute back.

Stage 1: Christophe Laporte sprints to victory on chaotic opening stage

The opening day of the Vuelta a Andalucía - Ruta del Sol culminated in a bunch sprint finish, won by the Frenchman Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease a Bike) in Pizarra. It was a messy lead-out but the Frenchman showed good timing and strength to hit out and hold off Bastien Tronchon (Groupama-FDJ United) and Ben Oliver (Modern Adventure).

The bunch sprint finish didn't tell the whole story of a day that was more chaotic than your average sprint day. The mid-stage hills saw several big names and overall favourites hit out, including Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) and Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), setting the scene for the bigger battles to come.

Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol Information

99 years old and counting, the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol has long been one of cycling's best-known early-season events. Typically warm weather in southern Spain in early February has always proved popular for riders looking to hone their Classics form as well as claim a victory in a race with a long and prestigious history of top-name winners, most recently Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) in 2023.

The race was cancelled after the first three stages in 2024 due to a lack of state security members due to farmers' protests. Instead, only a 4.95km time trial was held in Alcaudete, with Maxim Van Gils triumphing ahead of Juan Ayuso and Antonio Tiberi.

With a name frequently shortened to 'Ruta del Sol' or even just 'Ruta', the five-day race combines one or two flat stages with numerous hilly stages and short, punchy summit finishes. Occasionally, it includes a short individual time trial or heads into the mountains of Sierra Nevada for a summit finish.

Running concurrently with the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal, in recent years Andalucia's increasing preference for a tougher route has tended to attract more allrounders and out-and-out climbers than Classics specialists to its field of favourites. As a result, its history of winners includes historic one-day stars like Freddy Maertens, Oscar Freire and Erik Zabel, as well as stage racers of the calibre of Chris Froome and Miguel Indurain.

Alejandro Valverde holds the current record for overall victories in Andalucia – five – whilst in 2023 Pogačar succeeded in winning three stages of a possible five en route to a crushing outright triumph, leading the race from beginning to end.

In 2024, a farmers' protest led to the cancellation of four of the five stages, with Maxim Van Gils winning a 5km time trial that made up the only racing action.

Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates) won the 2025 edition.

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