Vuelta a España 2026

Vuelta a España information

The 81st edition of the Vuelta a España will take place from Saturday August 22 to Sunday September 13, 2026.

Race organisers, Unipublic, revealed the complete race route for the 2026 Vuelta a España, which will total 3,283.7 kilometres with 58,156 metres of elevation gain, making it one of the most challenging editions of the Spanish Grand Tour to date. The three-week stage race will visit four countries - Andorra, Monaco, France and Spain - with 16 provinces crossed in Spain on a path that hugs the Mediterranean coast.

The Grand Départ will take place in Monaco with a 9.6km individual time trial and the final stage will finish in the historic city of Granada, becoming the eighth city in the 81 editions of the race to crown the overall winner. A route presentation event was held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 to confirm all 21 stages. See the full details on our route page for the 2026 Vuelta a España.

In 2025, the Vuelta started in Piemonte, Italy, with three stages, including a mountain finish at Limone Piemonte on stage 2. Stage 4 headed into the French Alps for another mountain stage. In fact, the race crossed through four countries, including Italy, Andorra, France, and Spain.

In 2024, Primož Roglič won a fourth Vuelta a España title in the 2024 edition, sealing his fifth Grand Tour title in the last six years with a second-place finish in the final stage time trial in Madrid.

In 2025, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) was crowned the overall winner despite a series of Pro-Palestinian protests disrupting the race and especially the final stage to central Madrid.

João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was second overall at 1:16 and Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) was third at 3:11.

Cyclingnews will provide comprehensive coverage of the 2026 Vuelta a España, with live minute-by-minute coverage every day, full stage reports, as well as interviews, breaking news, race analysis, and the latest tech from our team around the world and on the ground in Spain.

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Vuelta a España Schedule 2026

Vuelta a España Records

Most overall wins: Roberto Heras (four); Primoz Roglič (four), Tony Rominger, Alberto Contador (three).

Most stage wins: Delio Rodríguez (39); Alessandro Petacchi (20); Laurent Jalabert, Rik van Looy (18); Sean Kelly (16); Gerben Karstens (14); Tony Rominger, Freddy Maertens (13); Primoz Roglič, Alejandro Valverde (12).

Most mountain classification wins: Jose Luis Laguía (five); David Moncoutie, Jose María Jiménez (four each); Julio Jiménez, Anthony Karmany, Andres Oliva (three each).

Most points classification wins: Sean Kelly, Laurent Jalabert, Alejandro Valverde (four each); Erik Zabel (three).

Most starts: Inigo Cuesta (17).

Youngest winner: Angelino Soler, 1961 (21 years and 167 days).

Oldest winner: Chris Horner, 2013 (41 years and 327 days).

Smallest margin of victory: Erik Caritoux, 1984 (six seconds).

Largest margin of victory: Delio Rodríguez, 1945 (30:08).

Fastest edition: 2001 (42.534 kph average)