The 77th Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana begins on Wednesday with Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) arriving after an unbeaten start to his season.
The Belgian claimed three victories from three starts at Challenge Mallorca in January – a team time trial win and two solo wins at the Trofeo Serra Tramuntana and Trofeo Andratx-Pollença, marking him out as a leading contender for the overall title.
The five-stage ProSeries race features a decisive individual time trial and rugged terrain that rewards consistency across both disciplines. Nine WorldTour squads have finalized their rosters. With defending champion Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) absent, 2025 runner-up João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) leads the challenge against Evenepoel.
The race is being shown on multiple paid streaming platforms, and you can find out more details on how to watch the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana here.
Route Overview
The 2026 parcours combines medium-mountain stages with one substantial time trial that is expected to prove decisive for the general classification. Unlike the early-season races that cater predominantly to sprinters – such as the UAE Tour – Valencia's terrain is characterised by short, punchy climbs and technical descents that will give a strong early indication of GC form.
The opening stage from Segorbe to Torreblanca offers the clearest sprint opportunity, though even this includes the Alto de los Madroños 39 kilometres from the finish. Subsequent stages are expected to follow the established Valencia formula: consistent elevation gain across the day, with no high-altitude summit finishes but sufficient climbing to fragment the peloton before technical finales.
Race Stages
5 Stages • 602.2km total
| Stage | Date | Route | Distance | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb 4 | Segorbe - Torreblanca | 160 km | Road Stage |
| 2 | Feb 5 | Carlet - Alginet | 17.5 km | Time Trial |
| 3 | Feb 6 | Orihuela - San Vicente del Raspeig | 158 km | Road Stage |
| 4 | Feb 7 | La Nucía - Teulada Moraira | 172 km | Road Stage |
| 5 | Feb 8 | Bétera - Valencia | 94.7 km | Road Stage |
Stage 1: Segorbe to Torreblanca
The 160-kilometre opener features approximately 1,600 metres of climbing concentrated in the first two-thirds of the race. The defining obstacle is the Alto de los Madroños, a 2.7-kilometre ascent averaging 5.4% that includes a one-kilometre ramp at 10.8%, where attackers may try to distance the heavier sprinters.
The summit comes 39 kilometres from the finish line, after which riders descend toward the Mediterranean coast near Oropesa. The final 22 kilometres are primarily flat, following the coastline northward into Torreblanca. The closing four kilometres are dead-straight and slightly downhill, a configuration that favours organised lead-out trains and makes late solo attacks difficult.
A consolidated bunch of 60 to 80 riders is the most likely scenario at the line.
Stage 2 (ITT): Carlet to Alginet
The GC race properly begins with a 17.5km individual time trial between Carlet and Alginet. The opening kilometres are more technical than the profile suggests, before the time trial's central climb – short but punchy – sets up a fast run-in where pacing and aerodynamics matter as much as pure watts. It’s the stage that should give the clearest early hierarchy among the overall contenders, and it strongly favours specialists like Evenepoel, with Almeida also well-suited to limiting losses or even taking time.
Stage 3: Orihuela to Sant Vicent del Raspeig
Stage 3 (158km) looks controllable on paper, but it has a proper sting late on with the Alto de Tibi – a long, steady climb that delivers a double-summit punch, but with enough distance remaining for regrouping. The elevation will be enough to soften legs ahead of the queen stage. Time bonuses and positioning into the finale could still matter for GC riders sitting on the same time after the TT, especially if a reduced front group forms after Tibi. 
Stage 4: La Nucía to Teulada (Moraira)
The decisive day: 172km and ~3,300m of climbing, with five categorised climbs and repeated opportunities to crack the race open. The sequence is designed to create cumulative fatigue – including the Alto del Miserat (Cat 1) deep in the stage – before a brutal finale: Puig de la Florença (Cumbres del Sol) around 12km from the finish, then the short but brutally steep Muro del Pou de Teulada (ramps close to 22%) inside the last 5km. If the GC isn’t settled, it will be here. 
Stage 5: Bétera to València
The race concludes with a short final stage into València (listed at 94.7km), built as the clearest opportunity for a bunch sprint – and the day when sprint teams can justify their week. For GC, it’s primarily about risk management: staying upright, avoiding splits, and keeping leaders protected in the run-in. Unless wind creates echelons, the overall is likely to be defended rather than won here, with the final kilometres shaping a fast, controlled finish for the remaining sprint contenders. 
GC Contenders
Evenepoel's dual strength as a climber and time triallist makes him one of the favourites on this parcours. His Mallorca performances demonstrated both explosive power on steep gradients and the sustained output required to dominate against the clock. If he limits losses on the hillier stages, the ITT should provide a decisive advantage.
Almeida makes his 2026 season debut in Valencia. The Portuguese rider has stated his primary objectives are the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España general classifications, but his steady climbing and strong time-trialling abilities make him a natural podium contender. UAE Team Emirates-XRG has surrounded him with extremely capable mountain lieutenants in the form of Marc Soler and Brandon McNulty.
Cian Uijtdebroeks (Movistar Team) continues his development as a GC leader for the Spanish squad and could contend if he can stay close on time before the final stages. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Lidl-Trek) is seeking to regain his best form after previous injury struggles, and as the first race of 2026 this could be a statement of intent for the British former Giro d'Italia winner.
Sprint Interests
The Valenciana sptints were expected to feature several duels between Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team), both making their 2026 season debuts. However, Pedersen fell on stage 1 and suffered a fractured collarbone and wrist.
Girmay is supported by Lewis Askey, and having taken stage 1 sprint victory, Girmay now seem the favourite to dominate the remaining sprint stages.
Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) was a late withdrawal, opting for a focused training block ahead of the Volta ao Algarve and the Opening Weekend in Belgium.
Weather and Race Dynamics
The opening days of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana are set to be run in typically mild winter conditions for the region, with daytime temperatures ranging between 16°C and 22°C across the week and overnight lows of 8°C to 13°C. Stage 1 begins under cooler conditions, with temperatures near 5°C at the Segorbe start before rising into the mid-teens by the finish on the coast.
Intermittent showers are forecast for midweek (Wednesday and Thursday) and again on Saturday, raising the possibility of damp roads on several stages, particularly on shaded inland descents.
Winds are predicted to remain generally light to moderate, around 10–15 km/h, with coastal sections exposed to cross-tailwinds rather than true headwinds. This should keep speeds high without strongly favouring echelon racing, placing a greater emphasis on positioning than pure wind strength.
Race favourites & Prediction
Evenepoel's current results and the presence of a decisive time trial make him a leading favourite. The Belgian's combination of climbing and time-trial ability gives him an advantage over many of his rivals on this terrain. Almeida will look to limit his losses to stay in contention on the final stages.
Predicted winner: Remco Evenepoel
Podium: Evenepoel, Almeida, Uijtdebroeks
Sprint stage favourite: Biniam Girmay
The Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana serves as an early-season benchmark that often runs at near-WorldTour level. For Evenepoel, it represents an opportunity to validate his Mallorca form against genuine GC competition. For riders targeting the Giro and Vuelta later in the season, it provides race intensity before the spring Classics.
Cover image credit: Maximilian Fries / Red Bull Content Pool
