La Vuelta Ciclista a España
Stage 15Palma del Río → Córdoba
Extreme heat forced organisers to shorten the stage, but the finale in Córdoba still produced a hard race after a fast start and an early breakaway that never gained much time.
On the final climb, the peloton was thinned before Wout van Aert, Thibau Nys and Alessandro Romele joined the front group. Van Aert then won the sprint after the leaders fractured in the closing kilometres.
Route and what to expect
La Vuelta a España 2026 runs from August 22 to September 13, opening with a 9.4km individual time trial in Monaco and finishing in Granada three weeks later. It is a punishing edition even by this race's standards, with more than 58,000 metres of climbing spread across six mountain stages, four medium mountain days and five hilly stages. Only four stages give the sprinters a clear chance.
Stage 4 crosses Andorra in just over 100km, with the Port d'Envalira rising straight from the start line, and stage 9 climbs 22km to the Alto de Aitana. Week two turns on the Calar Alto summit finish on stage 12 and the Sierra de La Pandera on stage 14. A 32km time trial into Jerez on stage 18 is the last flat test before Peñas Blancas and the Collado del Alguacil, 8km at 9.8%, settle the red jersey on stage 20.
Tadej Pogačar starts as the overwhelming favourite, chasing the one Grand Tour he has never won, with Richard Carapaz, Felix Gall, Oscar Onley and Mattias Skjelmose heading the chase. For broadcasters, prices, free streams and stage start times in your country, read our full guide to how to watch La Vuelta a España 2026.