The 2026 Vuelta a España is about to begin, and it has all the ingredients needed to become a memorable edition. The 81st edition of the race will take place from August 22 to September 13 (21 stages and 3,275 kilometres). Monaco will be the spectacular starting point and Granada, with the Alhambra as its centrepiece, will provide the grand finale to a race that will cross four countries and promises an enormous amount of climbing.
The organisers have designed six mountain stages, four medium-mountain stages, four flat stages, four rolling stages and two individual time trials. In total, more than 58,000 metres of elevation gain await the peloton, a figure that explains why this could be one of the toughest editions in recent years. Everything is ready at Cyclingoo to experience the most exciting Vuelta in recent years!
La Vuelta 2025 - 7th stage - Andorra la Vella.Andorra > Cerler. Huesca La Magia (188 km) - 29/08/2025 - Credits: Unipublic / Cxcling / Antonio Baixauli
From the luxury of Monaco to the high mountains of the Pyrenees
The race will start in a luxurious setting. Monaco will host the Vuelta start for the first time, with a short 9.4-kilometre individual time trial around the Principality showcasing some of its main attractions. The time-trial specialists will have a double opportunity: winning the opening stage not only means taking the stage victory, but also taking the race lead.
The peloton will then travel through France before quickly entering Spanish territory. The third stage will finish in Font-Romeu and, just 24 hours later, will be followed by an explosive mountain stage in Andorra. With three major climbs and a short route of barely 100 km, but one that will be tremendously intense, stage 4 could become one of the first key moments for the overall contenders to establish themselves.
The race will continue along the Mediterranean coast before facing further challenges. Stage 6 between Alcossebre and Castelló will even include a section of sterrato (dirt road) on Puerto El Bartolo, one of the Vuelta’s most eagerly anticipated and eye-catching new features.
Soon afterwards, Valdelinares and Alto de Aitana will feature on stages 7 and 9 respectively. The latter will bring the first major mountain phase of the race to a close before the first rest day and could leave the general classification considerably shaped after two tough days in the mountains.
Heading south: Andalusia takes centre stage
After the first rest day, the Vuelta will head south, with Andalusia becoming the main protagonist of the second half of the race. The stages featuring Calar Alto and Sierra de La Pandera will be two particularly important appointments before a decisive final week.
The finish at Sierra de La Pandera, on stage 14 starting in Jaén, will be one of those days marked in red on every favourite’s calendar. Its steep slopes and intense summer heat could turn a 154-kilometre stage into a genuine test of survival for the general classification contenders.
After the second rest day, the faster riders will have two opportunities to shine in two sprint stages in Huelva and Seville, where the heat could once again play a leading role.
The 32-kilometre time trial on stage 18 between El Puerto de Santa María and Jerez de la Frontera could completely change the classification with just three days remaining. The climbers who have managed to stay in contention will have to defend their positions against specialists capable of gaining significant time against the clock.
Peñas Blancas and Collado del Alguacil: the grand finale
Stage 19 will take the peloton from Vélez-Málaga to Peñas Blancas, in Estepona, after 210 kilometres. It will be a medium-mountain stage with a summit finish and another opportunity for the favourites to battle it out on the roads of Andalusia.
However, the main attraction will be stage 20. The queen stage will start in La Calahorra and finish at the previously unused Collado del Alguacil after 186 kilometres. With almost 5,000 metres of elevation gain and gradients reaching 20%, this climb provides the perfect setting to decide a Vuelta that could still be wide open.
After such a battle, Granada will bring the race to an end. The final stage will have a much more celebratory character, finishing in the city with the Alhambra taking centre stage. It will be a different finale from the traditional finish in Madrid and will allow the race to conclude in one of Spain’s most iconic locations.
20th stage profile: La Calahorra - Collado del Alguacil
Pogačar returns to the Vuelta where he first made his mark
When it comes to the favourites, one name stands above the rest: Tadej Pogačar. The Slovenian returns to the Vuelta seven years after his debut, when he finished third and won three stages. After winning the 2026 Tour de France, he will now look to complete his Grand Tour collection with a victory in the only major stage race he has yet to win. The mountain-heavy route appears tailor-made for him, although it remains to be seen how he will respond after a demanding Tour de France.
Among the other leading contenders are Felix Gall, runner-up at the Giro d’Italia, and Oscar Onley, fourth at the 2025 Tour de France and one of the standout young riders of 2026. Experienced riders such as Enric Mas, Richard Carapaz, and Mattias Skjelmose will also have to be taken into account, while Primož Roglič, a four-time Vuelta winner, will try to play a leading role despite the doubts surrounding his form after an inconsistent season and an injury just weeks before the Vuelta.
The 2026 Vuelta a España has everything in place for three weeks of varied and exciting racing: an unprecedented start in Monaco, mountains from the very first days, sterrato, heat, time trials and a spectacular finale in Granada.
At Cyclingoo, we will be ready to follow every kilometre of a Vuelta that promises not to give us a single second’s respite. Remember to download the app, turn on notifications and keep an eye on our live coverage.