The 81st edition of La Vuelta a España runs from Saturday, August 22nd, to Sunday, September 13th, 2026. The race covers 21 stages, beginning with a prestigious Grand Départ in Monaco and concluding in Granada. The route is characterized by a high number of mountain stages and two crucial individual time trials.
| Stage | Date | Start | Finish | Distance (km) | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | ||||||
| 1 | Sat, Aug 22 | Monaco | Monaco | 9.6 | ITT | Individual Time Trial. |
| 2 | Sun, Aug 23 | Monaco | Manosque | 215.2 | Hills | Long stage in France. |
| 3 | Mon, Aug 24 | Gruissan | Fon Romeu | 166.7 | Mountains | First summit finish in the Pyrenees. |
| 4 | Tue, Aug 25 | Andorra La Vella | Andorra La Vella | 104.9 | Mountains | Short, explosive mountain stage. |
| 5 | Wed, Aug 26 | Falset | Roquetes | 171.1 | Flat | |
| 6 | Thu, Aug 27 | Alcossebre | Castellón | 176.8 | Hills | |
| 7 | Fri, Aug 28 | Vall d’Alba | Valdelinares | 149.9 | Mountains | Summit finish. |
| 8 | Sat, Aug 29 | Pucol | Xeraco | 167.4 | Flat | |
| 9 | Sun, Aug 30 | La Villa Joiosa | Alto de Aitana | 187.5 | Mountains | Major summit finish. |
| Rest Day | Mon, Aug 31 | |||||
| Week 2 | ||||||
| 10 | Tue, Sep 1 | Alcaraz | Elche de la Sierra | 18.5 | Hills | |
| 11 | Wed, Sep 2 | Cartagena | Lorca | 156.1 | Flat | |
| 12 | Thu, Sep 3 | Vera | Calar Alto | 166.5 | Mountains | High-altitude summit finish. |
| 13 | Fri, Sep 4 | Almuñécar | Loja | 193.2 | Hills | |
| 14 | Sat, Sep 5 | Jaén | Sierra de la Pandera | 152.7 | Mountains | Summit finish on a brutal climb. |
| 15 | Sun, Sep 6 | Palma de Río | Córdoba | 181.2 | Hills | |
| Rest Day | Mon, Sep 7 | |||||
| Week 3 | ||||||
| 16 | Tue, Sep 8 | Cortegana | La Rábida | 186.0 | Flat | |
| 17 | Wed, Sep 9 | Dos Hermanas | Sevilla | 189.2 | Flat | |
| 18 | Thu, Sep 10 | El Puerto de Santa Maria | Jerez de la Frontera | 32.5 | ITT | Individual Time Trial. |
| 19 | Fri, Sep 11 | Véléz-Malaga | Peñas Blancas | 205.1 | Mountains | Long mountain stage with summit finish. |
| 20 | Sat, Sep 12 | La Calahorra | Collada de Alguacil | 206.7 | Mountains | Queen Stage – Final, decisive mountain test. |
| 21 | Sun, Sep 13 | Granada | Granada | 99.4 | Hills | Final stage, likely a ceremonial finish. |
Key Stage Highlights
- Stage 1 (ITT): The Grand Départ in Monaco provides an immediate test for the GC contenders and sets the first time gaps.
- Stage 3 (Mountains): The first major mountain test at Fon Romeu, forcing early selection.
- Stage 9 (Mountains): The summit finish on the Alto de Aitana marks the end of the first week with a significant challenge.
- Stage 12 (Mountains): The high-altitude finish at Calar Alto is a crucial test of endurance in the second week.
- Stage 18 (ITT): A long, late-race Individual Time Trial that can dramatically reshuffle the General Classification.
- Stage 20 (Mountains): The final mountain stage to Collada de Alguacil is the ultimate decider, featuring the race’s only Category Especial climb.