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2026 Vuelta a EspaƱa
The 2026 Vuelta a EspaƱa route will be announced later in the year. What we do know is that the tour, which will be the 81st edition, will start with a time trial in Monaco and the final four days will take place on the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
It is a bit of a surprise to many that the organisers have once again opted to start outside of Spain; this is the third consecutive tour which will have started outside of Spain.
If you plan on having a bet on the outright winner or the daily stage markets, then be sure to give our Best Bookie for Betting on Cycling guide a read before you place any bets.
Is the Vuelta a EspaƱa on TV?
Yes, you can watch the action unfold live on Eurosport over the three weeks.
How many kilometres is the Vuelta a EspaƱa?
The 2026 Vuelta a EspaƱa will again take place over twenty-one stages with the total distance being 3,310.6 km.
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2026 Vuelta a EspaƱa Predictions
The OLBG cycling tipsters will have you covered throughout the twenty-one stages. Head over to the main Cycling Betting Tips page for daily tips from La Vuelta as well as other cycling events throughout the year.
You can see who they are predicting to win the Vuelta a EspaƱa and daily markets like rider matchups, which riders will produce better results and who they are picking to win the stage.
You can also see cycling picks from the best tipsters. On the Best Cycling Tipsters page, we only display tipsters who have made a profit over the past year for their cycling tips. Only tipsters with open tips will be displayed on this page.
If you fancy yourself as a bit of a cycling 'nerd', then why not join and start adding your La Vuelta tips? See if you can challenge the tipsters and claim the top spot in the cycling table and pick up a cash reward!
2026 Vuelta a EspaƱa - Phase 1
The La Vuelta will kick off with an Individual time trial in Monaco on August 22nd, the first of nine stages in this first phase of the tour, before the first rest day on August 31st. This first phase covers a total of 1,357.8 km and goes through France, Andorra and Spain.
| Stage | Route | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 Saturday (22 Aug) | Monaco to Monaco Individual time trial (9 km) | |
| Stage 2 Sunday (23 Aug) | Monaco to Manosque (France) Hilly stage (215.5 km) | |
| Stage 3 Monday (24 Aug) | Gruissan (France) to Font-Romeu (France) Medium-mountain stage (166.7 km) | |
| Stage 4 Tuesday (25 Aug) | Andorra la Vella (Andorra) to Andorra la Vella (Andorra) Mountain stage (104.9 km) | |
| Stage 5 Wednesday (26 Aug) | Falset to Roquetes Hilly stage (171.1 km) | |
| Stage 6 Thursday (27 Aug) | Alcossebre to CastellĆ³n Medium-mountain stage (176.8 km) | |
| Stage 7 Friday (28 Aug) | Vall d'Alba to AramĆ³n Valdelinares Mountain stage (149.9 km) | |
| Stage 8 Saturday (29 Aug) | PuƧol to Xeraco Flat stage (176.4 km) | |
| Stage 9 Sunday (30 Aug) | Villajoyosa to Alto de Aitana Mountain stage (187.5 km) | |
| Monday (31 Aug) | Rest Day | |
2026 Vuelta a EspaƱa - Phase 2
After their first rest day on the 31st, the riders will resume action with a hilly stage from Hilly, the first of six stages in their second phase, which covers a total of 1,034.2 km before their second and final rest day on September 7th.
| Stage | Route | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 10 Tuesday (1 Sep) | Alcaraz to Elche de la Sierra Hilly stage (184.5 km) | |
| Stage 11 Wednesday (2 Sep) | Cartagena to Lorca Flat stage (156.1 km) | |
| Stage 12 Thursday (3 Sep) | Vera to Calar Alto Mountain stage (166.5 km) | |
| Stage 13 Friday (4 Sep) | AlmuƱƩcar to Loja Medium-mountain stage (193.2 km) | |
| Stage 14 Saturday (5 Sep) | JaƩn to Sierra de la Pandera Mountain stage (152.7 km) | |
| Stage 15 Sunday (6 Sep) | Palma del RĆo to CĆ³rdoba Medium-mountain stage (181.2 km) | |
| Monday (7 Sep) | Rest Day | |
2026 Vuelta a EspaƱa - Phase 3
The final phase consists of six stages, during which the riders covered 899.2 km, providing the last opportunity for them to make their moves in their attempt to be crowned champion.
| Stage | Route | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 16 Tuesday (8 Sep) | Cortegana to Palos de la Frontera Flat stage (186 km) | |
| Stage 17 Wednesday (9 Sep) | Dos Hermanas to Seville Flat stage (189.2 km) | |
| Stage 18 Thursday (10 Sep) | El Puerto de Santa MarĆa to Jerez de la Frontera Individual time trial (32.5 km) | |
| Stage 19 Friday (11 Sep) | VƩlez-MƔlaga to PeƱas Blancas Hilly stage (205.1 km) | |
| Stage 20 Saturday (12 Sep) | La Calahorra to Collado del Alguacil Mountain stage (187 km) | |
| Stage 21 Sunday (13 Sep) | Granada to Granada Flat stage (99.4 km) |
Vuelta a EspaƱa General Classification
It is no surprise that the Spanish have a good record in the race, considering it is their 'home' race; the winner of the general classification has been Spanish a total of thirty-two times, with twenty-three riders making up those wins.
That number is clear of the next, which is the French, who have nine wins (eight riders), followed by the Belgians with eight wins (seven riders) and the Italians with six different winners.
Spanish rider Roberto Heras was the most successful rider in the race, having won it four times (2000, 2003, 2004 & 2005) until Primož RogliÄ's success in 2024, which also moved him onto four wins (2019, 2020, 2021 & 2024).
Tony Rominger (SUI) and Alberto Contador (ESP) are the only two other riders to have recorded three or more wins in the race, with seven other riders having all won it twice.
Last Ten Vuelta a EspaƱa Winners
| Year | Winner | Time | Stage Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jonas Vingegaard VismaāLease a Bike | 74h 20' 28" + 1' 16" | 3 |
| 2024 | Primož RogliÄ Red BullāBoraāHansgrohe | 81h 49' 18" + 2' 36" | 3 |
| 2023 | Sepp Kuss Team JumboāVisma | 76h 48' 21" + 17" | 1 |
| 2022 | Remco Evenepoel Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team | 80h 26' 59" + 2' 02" | 2 |
| 2021 | Primož RogliÄ Team JumboāVisma | 83h 55' 29" + 4' 42" | 4 |
| 2020 | Primož RogliÄ Team JumboāVisma | 72h 46' 12" + 24" | 4 |
| 2019 | Primož RogliÄ Team JumboāVisma | 83h 07' 31" + 2' 33" | 1 |
| 2018 | Simon Yates MitcheltonāScott | 82h 05' 58" + 1' 46" | 1 |
| 2017 | Chris Froome Team Sky | 82h 30' 02" + 2' 15" | 2 |
| 2016 | Nairo Quintana Movistar Team | 83h 31' 28" + 1' 23" | 1 |
Vuelta a EspaƱa Points Classification
Spaniard Alejandro Valverde is one of the most successful point classification riders; his win in 2018 was the fourth time that he picked up the award, having previously also won it in 2012, 2013 & 2015.
His fourth win tied him with Irishman Sean Kelly (1980, 1985, 1986 & 1988) and Frenchman Laurent Jalabert, who won the award four consecutive years (1994, 1995, 1996 & 1997).
As well as the general classification, Primož RogliÄ won the points classification in both 2019 & 2020 but could only manage runner-up in 2021 & 2024, whilst Kaden Groves has won back-to-back in 2023 & 2024.
Those two riders will now both head into 2026 looking for a third win, which would put them level with German Erik Zabel (2002, 2003 & 2004).
Last Ten Points Classification Winners
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mads Pedersen (DEN) (277) | Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) (197) | Jasper Philipsen (BEL) (135) |
| 2024 | Kaden Groves (AUS) (226) | Primož RogliÄ (SLO) (140) | Max Poole (GBR) (118) |
| 2023 | Kaden Groves (AUS) (315) | Remco Evenepoel (BEL) (236) | Andreas Kron (DEN) (167) |
| 2022 | Mads Pedersen (DEN) (409) | Fred Wright (GBR) (186) | Enric Mas (ESP) (136) |
| 2021 | Fabio Jakobsen (NED) (250) | Primož RogliÄ (SLO) (199) | Magnus Cort (DEN) (161) |
| 2020 | Primož RogliÄ (SLO) (204) | Richard Carapaz (ECU) (133) | Dan Martin (IRL) (111) |
| 2019 | Primož RogliÄ (SLO) (155) | Tadej PogaÄar (SLO) (136) | Sam Bennett (IRL) (134) |
| 2018 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) (131) | Peter Sagan (SVK) (119) | Elia Viviani (ITA) (105) |
| 2017 | Chris Froome (GBR) (158) | Matteo Trentin (ITA) (156) | Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) (128) |
| 2016 | Fabio Felline (ITA) (100) | Nairo Quintana (COL) (97) | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) (93) |
Vuelta a EspaƱa King of the Mountains
It used to be a case of not looking at anything but a Spaniard to find the King of the Mountain winner. Between 1941 & 1986, there were only three non-Spanish winners, and there were also eight winners between 1997 & 2006.
However, the tide has turned since 2007, of the nineteen winners, only three of those have been Spanish, Luis LeĆ³n SĆ”nchez in 2014, and then Omar Fraile in both 2015 & 2016, and 2020, 2021, 2023 & 2025, there wasn't a single Spaniard in the top three.
The French have picked up a lot of wins of late. David MoncoutiƩ won it for four consecutive years between 2008 & 2011, Nicolas Edet won it in 2013, Geoffrey Bouchard in 2019, and Guillaume Martin picked up the title in 2020.
Jay Vine's success in both 2024 & 2025 means there has now been an Aussie in the top three for each of the last five tours. Michael Storer won it in 2021 and was third in 2023, whilst Robert Stannard was runner-up in 2022.
Last Ten King of the Mountain Winners
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jay Vine (AUS) | Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) | JoĆ£o Almeida (POR) |
| 2024 | Jay Vine (AUS) | Marc Soler (ESP) | Pablo Castrillo (ESP) |
| 2023 | Remco Evenepoel (BEL) | Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) | Michael Storer (AUS) |
| 2022 | Richard Carapaz (ECU) | Robert Stannard (AUS) | Enric Mas (ESP) |
| 2021 | Michael Storer (AUS) | Romain Bardet (FRA) | Primož RogliÄ (SLO) |
| 2020 | Guillaume Martin (FRA) | Tim Wellens (BEL) | Richard Carapaz (ECU) |
| 2019 | Geoffrey Bouchard (FRA) | Ćngel Madrazo (ESP) | Sergio Samitier (ESP) |
| 2018 | Thomas De Gendt (BEL) | Bauke Mollema (NED) | Luis Ćngel MatĆ© (ESP) |
| 2017 | Davide Villella (ITA) | Miguel Ćngel LĆ³pez (COL) | Chris Froome (GBR) |
| 2016 | Omar Fraile (ESP) | Kenny Elissonde (FRA) | Robert Gesink (NED) |
Article Contributor Information
The Vuelta a EspaƱa content on OLBG has been created and maintained by Andy Powell, who, through the creation of the content, developed an understanding of the sport.
Andy Powell
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