Vuelta a España Vuelta 2026 route rumours

[OlavEH]

Envalira is within Andorra, yes.

But they have to go through Spain (or France) if they are to cross it into Andorra?

It's specifically the combo that was originally planned only that I'm most interested in.

Originally planned for what? I saw the profile you posted, but didnt fully understand the context.

 

[Netserk]

But they have to go through Spain (or France) if they are to cross it into Andorra?

Originally planned for what? I saw the profile you posted, but didnt fully understand the context.

MoraBanc Classic and the Vuelta in 2013 both climbed Envalira without crossing a border.

Because of the weather, they didn't climb Engolasters and Baixalis after Comella this year. Comella and Engolasters is the combo featured in the 2019 Vuelta stage. Descending afterwards and then climbing Baixalis gives you the combo of the Andorran classic. Pal is even better than Botella to entice long-range action.

I have also played with Comella, doing it again, but in the opposite direction after Baixalis to have the same finish-line as in the 2021 Tour.

Edit: I found an old route of mine that shows that.

...

172.0 km, +5278 m. Bike ride in Andorra la Vella, Andorra la Vella

ridewithgps.com

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I hope that includes the original MoraBanc combo of climbs.

Rabassa before Comella would be a good addition.

Rabassa or La Gallina can go as first climb of the day before Envalira too, since they do that little loop down to Sant Julià de Lorià.

 

[OlavEH]

MoraBanc Classic and the Vuelta in 2013 both climbed Envalira without crossing a border.

Because of the weather, they didn't climb Engolasters and Baixalis after Comella this year. Comella and Engolasters is the combo featured in the 2019 Vuelta stage. Descending afterwards and then climbing Baixalis gives you the combo of the Andorran classic. Pal is even better than Botella to entice long-range action.

I have also played with Comella, doing it again, but in the opposite direction after Baixalis to have the same finish-line as in the 2021 Tour.

Okay. Now I remember I saw results from that race on PCS not long ago. Just didn't connect it with the profile you posted.

Just hope that a full Andorra stage means a) a proper difficult stage and b) a well designed finish. The latter should probably mean Beixalis in a certain place in stage (which your profile achieves).

At least an all Andorran stage at the end of week 1 (?) and the last stages at Gran Canaria and Tenerife could provide a very well designed route. But that is if the right choices are made. In addition I would like a big mountain stage in southern Spain at the penultimate weekend. Something like a Calar Alto stage and/or a big Sierra Nevada MTF.

 

[Netserk]

If they sail from Cádiz or Huelva, the second week will have to end in Andalusia. Maybe Sunday will be farther west than Sierra Nevada? Easiest would be to finish where they sail from.

 

[OlavEH]

If they sail from Cádiz or Huelva, the second week will have to end in Andalusia. Maybe Sunday will be farther west than Sierra Nevada? Easiest would be to finish where they sail from.

Wasnt it said four stages on the Canaries? How would they solve this? Rest day on Wednesday?

Some of the high lights could include:
Stage 9: Mountain stage in Andorra.
Stage 14-15: MTF at Sierra Nevada
Stage 20: MTF at Pico de las Nieves
Stage 21: Mountain stage at Tenerife with descent finish to Santa Cruz de Tenerife

And/or perhaps a Calar Alto. But I guess much is unclear between Andorra and the Canaries.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

If they sail from Cádiz or Huelva, the second week will have to end in Andalusia. Maybe Sunday will be farther west than Sierra Nevada? Easiest would be to finish where they sail from.

I thought there were only going to be 4 Canarian stages? So that would leave space for two transitional stages between the second weekend and the final rest day.

I also imagine they will be finishing in Cádiz, Jerez or in between the two the day before the rest day, because Huelva doesn't have a nearby airport. Which makes for less distance to cover from the obvious Andalucian mountains.

 

[Netserk]

Ah, I forgot it wasn't the entire third week on the islands.

Something like this makes sense to me:

Sat: Calar Alto MTF
Sun: Sierra Nevada MTF
Mon: flat stage
Tue: ITT
Wed: rest day

 

[Krzysztof_O]

There are a lot of great roads on Tenerife, not just Teide. Anaga and Teno mountains can also provide spectacular climbs and views. I hiked a lot on Tenerife and a lot of great viewing spots were also accessible by car. As for finish in Teide area, some climbs are steep enough to become monsters (but they likely will choose some shallow, main roads, right?). Even if finish is not possible inside Teide NP there are road variants that approaches it and reach 2000 meters.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Ah, I forgot it wasn't the entire third week on the islands.

Something like this makes sense to me:

Sat: Calar Alto MTF
Sun: Sierra Nevada MTF
Mon: flat stage
Tue: ITT
Wed: rest day

This would seem to make the most sense. When I did a finale on the Canary Islands in the Race Design Thread, I had Sierra Nevada on stage 15, a flat stage from Granada to Málaga on stage 16 and then a rest day to travel.

If they're going to sail, however, the logical thing for me would be to have stage 16 be a flat stage that covers a lot of the ground and an ITT on stage 17 - probably somewhere like Chiclana or Arcos. The alternative would be to have stage 17 finish with one of those punchy finishes somewhere like Alcalá de los Gazules or Medina-Sidonia which is close enough to easily get the logistics to Cádiz and the riders and staff to Jerez airport. This would be a very Unipublic kind of way to do it as well.

 

[Rockestar_33]

Finishing in the Canaries will be a transfer day, rather than rest? Would that mean a Friday start and a mid week rest day on the Wednesday or Thursday?

 

[YavorD]

Finishing in the Canaries will be a transfer day, rather than rest? Would that mean a Friday start and a mid week rest day on the Wednesday or Thursday?

I think the UCI calendar was released and La Vuelta starts on 22 of August, which is Saturday.

Also, it wouldn't make sense to have 2 rest days within 3 days, nor having a rest day on the first Monday without a transfer.

 

[Rockestar_33]

I think the UCI calendar was released and La Vuelta starts on 22 of August, which is Saturday.

Also, it wouldn't make sense to have 2 rest days within 3 days, nor having a rest day on the first Monday without a transfer.

Fair enough, and I wasn't saying have a rest day on the first Monday and a couple of days later, I was expecting a transfer day in the middle of the last week when they finish on the Canary islands.

 

[YavorD]

Fair enough, and I wasn't saying have a rest day on the first Monday and a couple of days later, I was expecting a transfer day in the middle of the last week when they finish on the Canary islands.

Yes, I know. I meant that it's hard to believe we'll have a rest day on Monday (the 3rd Monday) and then again on Wednesday/Thursday). Therefore, I don't see a chance for an extra rest day.

 

[Rockestar_33]

Yes, I know. I meant that it's hard to believe we'll have a rest day on Monday (the 3rd Monday) and then again on Wednesday/Thursday). Therefore, I don't see a chance for an extra rest day.

We'll see. Don't mind a long week 2 if they go that option

 

[Netserk]

 

[Red Rick]

They say it's Monaco, but it looks Nice.

Okay sorry I'll leave now.

 

[Netserk]

They say it's Monaco, but it looks Nice.

Okay sorry I'll leave now.

It's a great shame that they don't have a road stage that finishes in the area. Will be as anemic as the Italian Gran Salida.

 

[nightowl]

That’s one of the most ridiculously technical TTs I’ve ever seen

 

[Red Rick]

It's a great shame that they don't have a road stage that finishes in the area. Will be as anemic as the Italian Gran Salida.

How much overlaps with the 2009 Tour opening ITT?

 

[Netserk]

How much overlaps with the 2009 Tour opening ITT?

Very little.

 

[HashRouge]

"If Tadej won't come to the Vuelta, the Vuelta will come to him".

 

[CyclistAbi]

Tailor made for Rogla.

 

[OlavEH]

Tailor made for Rogla.

More or less every Vuelta for many years have been that.....

 

[ice&fire]

We are one month from the route presentation and Unipublic is doing a great job at preventing leaks, surely because that's the best recipe to prevent criticism.

Here are some new rumours from interweb forums:
1) MTF at Aitana in the second week.

2) Mid-mountain stage in the sierras South of Albacete. This is a region never visited before by any proffesional race. Rumours say the stage finish will be at Yeste, but I'm not sure if they'll resist the temptation to finish at the nearby Monte Ardal.

3) After that, the race will go to Andalucía with stages in the provinces of Jaén, Granada, Málaga and an ITT at Jerez before the transfer to the Canary Islands. The stage in Granada is rumoured to be in the mountains.