Wout van Aert of Visma-Lease a Bike leads the sprint during Stage 7 of La Vuelta Ciclista a España 2024 from Archidona to Córdoba on 23 August
© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool
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The full schedule for the 2026 Vuelta a España

The final Grand Tour of the season is fast approaching. Here’s everything you need to know about the Vuelta a España, including the key dates and stages to watch.
Shkruar nga Enzo Brûlé
4 min readPublished on

Summary

  1. 1
    The 2026 Vuelta a España at a glance
  2. 2
    The Vuelta a España in numbers
  3. 3
    Key stages not to be missed
With the Tour de France now behind us, the spotlight shifts to Spain for the final Grand Tour of the season. The Vuelta a España returns with a route that will take riders from the Principality of Monaco to Granada, as Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe returns to the roads in pursuit of glory under the Spanish sun.
01

The 2026 Vuelta a España at a glance

  • Dates: from Saturday, August 22 to Sunday, September 13, 2026
  • Start: Monaco
  • Finish: Granada
  • Countries covered: Monaco, France, Andorra and Spain
  • Edition: 81st
  • Status: 3rd and final Grand Tour of the 2026 cycling season (following the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France)
  • UCI calendar: Race no. 31 of 36 in the 2026 UCI World Tour
Primož Roglič of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe leads Enric Mas and Richard Carapaz up the misty Covadonga climb during La Vuelta 2024 in Spain

La Vuelta is now the final Grand Tour race of the year

© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool

The schedule of the 2026 Vuelta a España

Stage

Type

Date

Start and finish

Distance

1

Individual time trial

Saturday, August 22

Monaco > Monaco

9km

2

Hilly

Sunday, August 23

Monaco > Manosque

215.2km

3

Medium mountains

Monday, August 24

Gruissan > Aude > Font Romeu

166.7km

4

Mountain

Tuesday, August 25

Andorra La Vella > Andorra La Vella

104.9km

5

Hilly

Wednesday, August 26

Falset Costa Daurada > Roquetes Terres de l'Ebre

171.1km

6

Medium mountains

Thursday, August 27

Alcossebre > Castelló

176.8km

7

Mountain

Friday, August 28

Vall D'Alba > Aramón Valdelinares

149.9km

8

Flat

Saturday, August 29

Puçol > Xeraco

176.4km

9

Mountain

Sunday, August 30

La Vila Joiosa > Alto de Aitana Costa Blanca

187.5km

Rest day

Monday, August 31

10

Hilly

Tuesday, September 1

Alcaraz > Elche De La Sierra

184.5km

11

Flat

Wednesday, September 2

Cartagena > Lorca

156.1km

12

Mountain

Thursday, September 3

Vera > Calar Alto

166.5km

13

Medium mountains

Friday, September 4

Amuñécar > Loja

193.2km

14

Mountain

Saturday, September 5

Jaén > Sierra de la Pandera

152.7km

15

Medium mountains

Sunday, September 6

Palma Del Río > Córdoba

181.2km

Rest day

Monday, September 7

16

Hilly

Tuesday, September 8

Cortegana > La Rábida Palos De La Frontera

186km

17

Flat

Wednesday, September 9

Dos Hermanas > Sevilla

189.2km

18

Individual time trial

Thursday, September 10

El Puerto de Santa María > Jerez de la Frontera

32.5km

19

Hilly

Friday, September 11

Vélez-Málaga > Peñas Blancas Estepona

205.1km

20

Mountain

Saturday, September 12

La Calahorra > Collado Del Alguacil

187km

21

Flat

Sunday, September 13

Carrefour Granada > Granada

99.4km

In 2024, polka-dot jersey holder Primož Roglič and Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe pace the peloton up Puerto de El Purche during Stage 9 of La Vuelta in Spain

21 stages will be tackled across three weeks

© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool

Stages 2 and 19 are the only ones to exceed 200 kilometres in distance. Over the three weeks of racing, two rest days are scheduled for the riders and their teams on Monday, August 31 and Monday, September 7. For more details, see our article dedicated to the different stages of the 2026 Vuelta a España.
02

The Vuelta a España in numbers

Primož Roglič of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe climbs Puerto de Ancares ahead of Ben O'Connor during Stage 13 of La Vuelta 2024 in Spain

La Vuelta riders will cover a total distance of 3,275 kilometres

© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool

The 2026 edition of the race will be comprised of 21 stages that will cover 3,275 kilometres. By way of comparison, the previous edition, won by Jonas Vingegaard, featured 20 stages across 3,166.8 km. The stages are comprised of:
  • 4 hilly stages
  • 1 final hilly and uphill stage
  • 4 flat stages
  • 4 medium-mountain stages
  • 6 mountain stages
  • 2 individual time trial stages
  • 2 rest days
Vuelta a España FAQs

What does ‘Vuelta’ mean in Spanish?

‘Vuelta’ literally means ‘tour’ or ‘return’ in Spanish. The Vuelta a España therefore refers to the Tour of Spain.

When was the first edition of the race?

The race was founded in 1935. The 2026 edition will be the 81st in the race’s history.

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03

Key stages not to be missed

Stage 4 – Andorra
The loop around Andorra la Vella covers 104.9km. The climbs come thick and fast and will put the riders through their paces. Although it’s ‘only’ Stage 4, it will have a significant impact on the general classification.

The Original Red Bull

Red Bull Energy Drink

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Red Bull Energy Drink
Stage 7 – Aramón Valdelinares
Who hasn’t dreamt of skiing in the middle of summer? The resort of Aramón Valdelinares is hosting a stage finish of the Vuelta a España for the first time and will feature a long, steady climb up the mountain.
Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe riders move through Stage 7 of La Vuelta Ciclista a España 2024, from Archidona to Córdoba, Spain

There are plenty of exciting stages to look forward to this year

© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool

Stage 18 – Jerez de la Frontera
The Andalusian city will host the final time trial of the 2026 Vuelta, a decisive stage that could dramatically reshape the general classification. In a race against the clock, riders must stay focused and find the perfect balance between speed, control and composure.
Stage 20 – Collado del Alguacil
The penultimate stage covers 187km, including the climb to the Collado del Alguacil. This mountain is the final battle before the finish.
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