Every stage and climb of the La Vuelta a España 2026
The La Vuelta a España 2026 runs from Sat 22 Aug (Monaco) to Sun 13 Sep (Granada) — 21 stages, 6 of them mountain stages, with 51 categorised climbs including 4 especial-category ascents. The highest point of the race is Port d'Envalira at 2,409m. Every stage and climb is listed below with its length, average gradient and summit altitude — follow any climb's link to open it in the Climb Planner and work out the gearing you'd need to ride it yourself.
ITT · 9km · 90m of climbing
Opening time trial through the Principality's streets — technical, with the first race leader decided by seconds.
Hilly · 215km · 3,060m of climbing
Longest stage of the race. Technical start through Nice before Provence's rolling lavender country; two Cat3 climbs (Alto Châteauneuf-Grasse, Col de Saint Andrieu) should suit the fast finishers.
Medium · 166km · 2,660m of climbing
Flat start gradually rising into the Pyrénées Orientales. Col de Mont-Louis (Cat1) sets up the first summit finish of the race at Font Romeu (Cat2), 1,937m.
- Cat1Col de Mont-Louis — 18.32km at 4.5%, summit 1,570m, 15.3km from the finish. Long, steady grind starting near Canaveilles via Fontpédrouse; sets up the descent into Font Romeu. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data, measured back from the summit to the base of the categorised climb.
- Cat2Font Romeu — 8.65km at 5.1%, summit 1,937m, stage finish. First summit finish of the race, off the Mont-Louis descent — the final km does ease off, matching the organisers' own description. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
Mountain · 104km · 2,890m of climbing
Short but brutal loop entirely within Andorra: Port d'Envalira (Cat1, the highest paved pass in the Pyrenees), Collada de Beixalís (Cat1) and Coll d'Ordino (Cat1) before a short finishing ramp at Alto de La Comella (Cat3).
- Cat1Port d'Envalira — 25.78km at 5%, summit 2,409m, 78.7km from the finish. The highest paved pass in the Pyrenees, from the true valley floor after Andorra la Vella via El Tarter — altitude is the real difficulty, not the gradient. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
- Cat1Collada de Beixalís — 7.1km at 8.2%, summit 1,803m, 44.6km from the finish. Irregular, narrow road via Encamp with hairpins — the toughest climb of the day pound for pound. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data. Max gradient 16.4%.
- Cat1Coll d'Ordino — 10.3km at 6.9%, summit 1,989m, 25.2km from the finish. Steady lower slopes via Ordino, harder in the closing kilometres. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data. Steepest section 12.9%.
- Cat3Alto de La Comella — 4.1km at 5.9%, summit 1,347m, 3.9km from the finish. Short finishing ramp back into Andorra la Vella.
Hilly · 171km · 1,690m of climbing
Alto de Paüls (Cat3) is the only real difficulty; likely a sprint finish in the Terres de l'Ebre.
- Cat3Alto de Paüls — 4.1km at 6%, summit 381m, 23.4km from the finish.
Medium · 176km · 3,080m of climbing
Puerto de la Serratella and Alto del Desierto de las Palmas (both Cat2) before a dirt-road finale up Puerto El Bartolo (Cat1, 3km unpaved) and a fast descent into Castelló.
- Cat2Puerto de la Serratella — 18.61km at 3.3%, summit 799m, 135.4km from the finish. Long, gradual ascent — categorised more for cumulative altitude gain than steepness. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
- Cat3Coll de la Bandereta — 4.7km at 6.7%, summit 785m, 109.8km from the finish. Climbed from the west (Rosildos side) before descending to Benlloch. Max gradient 9.6%.
- Cat2Alto del Desierto de las Palmas — 7.9km at 5%, summit 418m, 47.5km from the finish. Climbed from Benicàssim on the coast.
- Cat1Puerto El Bartolo — 10.88km at 6.5%, summit 713m, 19.1km from the finish. First-ever dirt-road finale for La Vuelta — the final ~3.5km run on gravel/sterrato before a fast paved descent into Castelló. Steepest ramp 17.2%. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
Mountain · 149km · 3,750m of climbing
Second summit finish of the race, climbing into Teruel's Sierra de Gúdar via Puerto El Remolcador and Puerto de San Rafael (both Cat2) before the ski-station finish at Valdelinares.
- Cat2Puerto El Remolcador — 15.03km at 4.3%, summit 982m, 96.4km from the finish. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data, covering the full bottom-to-top climb from its lower starting town.
- Cat3Alto de Zucaina — 5.41km at 5%, summit 814m, 82.1km from the finish.
- Cat3Puerto Fuente de Rubielos — 11.4km at 3.3%, summit 1,002m, 43.6km from the finish. Gradual, sustained ascent.
- Cat2Puerto de San Rafael — 13.73km at 3.9%, summit 1,558m, 12.3km from the finish. Long false-flat approach before the road continues on to the Valdelinares finish. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
- Cat1Aramón Valdelinares — 10.05km at 5.8%, summit 1,961m, stage finish. Summit finish at the Sierra de Gúdar ski station, climbed via Puerto de San Rafael from Mora de Rubielos. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data, matching the actual finish ascent — not the Alcalá de la Selva side.
Flat · 168km · 1,270m of climbing
Last chance for the sprinters in week one; Puerto de Barx (Cat2) crests just before the finish in Xeraco.
- Cat2Puerto de Barx — 9.66km at 3.6%, summit 386m, 22.2km from the finish. Crests just before the finish in Xeraco. Length, gradient and elevation are from our own GPX route data.
Mountain · 187km · 4,940m of climbing
Brutal way to close the first week — six categorised climbs and nearly 5,000m of climbing, including Puerto de El Miserat (Cat1), before the legendary Alto de Aitana summit finish above the Costa Blanca.
- Cat2Puerto de Tárbena — 6.92km at 5.8%, summit 594m, 150.3km from the finish. Climbed from the village of Bolulla — the road before that is a gentle rolling lead-in from the coast, not part of the real climb. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data, matching the official categorised climb.
- Cat1Puerto de El Miserat — 7.22km at 7.8%, summit 634m, 113km from the finish. A genuinely steep climb — the official stage profile chart places the categorised col right after Pego, and our own GPX data confirms the true start reverse-geocodes exactly to Pego. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data; Cat1 here really does reflect steepness, with ramps over 20%.
- Cat3Puerto de Tollos — 4.24km at 5.6%, summit 829m, 96.2km from the finish. Climbed from the north, via the CV-712/CV-713.
- Cat2Puerto de Tudons — 13.29km at 4.1%, summit 1,026m, 65.1km from the finish. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data, covering the full bottom-to-top climb from the stage start.
- Cat3Puerto de Benifallim — 10.5km at 3%, summit 1,013m, 46.8km from the finish. Gradual approach into the closing kilometres before Aitana.
- ESPAlto de Aitana — 18.9km at 6%, summit 1,545m, stage finish. One of Spain's hardest summit finishes, used by La Vuelta in 2015, 2019 and 2021. Long, irregular grind with a short, brutal ramp near the top — max gradient 17%.
Hilly · 184km · 2,720m of climbing
Winding stage through Albacete province after the first rest day; three Cat3 climbs (Puerto del Peralejo, Puerto de Aýna, Puerto de Socovos) could suit a breakaway.
- Cat3Puerto del Peralejo — 13.5km at 1.5%, summit 1,132m, 136.4km from the finish. Very gradual climb from Fábricas de Riópar, matching the stage's actual direction of travel. Max gradient 9.2%.
- Cat3Puerto de Aýna — 7km at 3.7%, summit 950m, 97.7km from the finish.
- Cat3Puerto de Socovos — 3.31km at 5%, summit 782m, 20.7km from the finish. The final segment leading to the summit; a separate, earlier rise (1.74km at 6%) also appears before it on the same approach.
Flat · 156km · 1,310m of climbing
Another sprint opportunity, but Alto del Morrón de Totana (Cat3) crests just 30km from the finish.
- Cat3Alto del Morrón de Totana — 11.6km at 3.3%, summit 624m, 33.5km from the finish. Crests around 30km from the finish in Lorca.
Mountain · 166km · 4,530m of climbing
Andalucía's toughest welcome: the traditional Velefique–Calar Alto double, climbing to Europe's largest astronomical observatory at over 2,100m.
- Cat3Alto del Cabecico — 4.28km at 4%, summit 471m, 149.9km from the finish.
- Cat3Alto Cóbdar — 5.33km at 5%, summit 668m, 108.4km from the finish.
- Cat2Collado García — 4.84km at 4%, summit 1,239m, 79.3km from the finish. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
- Cat1Alto de Velefique — 29.9km at 4.5%, summit 1,789m, 30.4km from the finish. Climbed from just outside Tabernas, on the Tabernas–desert side of the pass, cresting before a descent toward Bacares and the final push to Calar Alto. Max gradient 12.3%.
- ESPCalar Alto — 17.99km at 5.4%, summit 2,153m, stage finish. Summit finish at Europe's largest astronomical observatory, over 2,100m — one of the hardest climbs in the south of Spain. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data, with the climb starting at the Bacares valley floor, matching the roadbook's own Bacares altitude of 1,197m.
Medium · 193km · 3,410m of climbing
Winding stage that front-loads its difficulty — Venta de la Cebada (Cat1) and Alto del Legionario (Cat2) come in the first half, with a flatter run to Loja.
- Cat1Venta de la Cebada — 7.76km at 6.5%, summit 819m, 165km from the finish. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
- Cat2Alto del Legionario — 28.16km at 2.1%, summit 1,347m, 109km from the finish. Long, rolling ascent from Dúrcal via Padul, with a steeper ramp near the top — max gradient 10.1%.
- Cat2Puerto de Granada — 12.08km at 4%, summit 1,034m, 37km from the finish. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
Mountain · 152km · 4,170m of climbing
One of La Vuelta's most decisive summit finishes since 2002 — Puerto de Los Villares and Puerto de Locubín (both Cat2) set up the final ramps to Sierra de la Pandera.
- Cat2Puerto de Los Villares — 11.17km at 5.3%, summit 1,180m, 60.6km from the finish. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
- Cat2Puerto de Locubín — 10.48km at 4.4%, summit 1,085m, 20.4km from the finish. Leads into the final push to Sierra de la Pandera. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
- ESPSierra de la Pandera — 12.52km at 7.3%, summit 1,818m, stage finish. One of La Vuelta's classic brutal summit finishes since 2002. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data, routed to the exact finish line, with the steepest sectors (over 12%, peaking near 19%) around two-thirds of the way up, easing off in the final kilometre.
Medium · 181km · 3,130m of climbing
Sierra Morena classic-style stage with three Cat3 climbs before the traditional reduced-group finish in Córdoba, on the eve of the second rest day.
- Cat3Puerto de la Forestal — 15.5km at 2.6%, summit 497m, 146.5km from the finish. Gradual climb into the Sierra Morena.
- Cat3Alto de Villaviciosa de Córdoba — 11.59km at 3.2%, summit 735m, 59.5km from the finish.
- Cat3Puerto Artafi — 6.28km at 5.2%, summit 523m, 27.8km from the finish. Climbed in the stage's own direction of travel — not the more commonly documented approach from Medina Azahara.
Hilly · 186km · 1,980m of climbing
One of the last chances for the sprinters — winding through Huelva's hills before a flat run along the coast to the Columbus monuments at La Rábida.
Rolling stage with 7 uncategorised climbs.
Flat · 189km · 890m of climbing
The flattest stage of the race; an early breakaway is the main variable before a bunch sprint through Seville's streets.
ITT · 32km · 190m of climbing
Second and final time trial, along the Cádiz coastline where the wind could make real time differences among the GC contenders.
Hilly · 205km · 4,190m of climbing
Flat and coastal for most of the day before the Serranía de Ronda piles on the fatigue ahead of the final climb to Peñas Blancas (Cat1) — scene of Richard Carapaz's 2022 stage win.
- Cat2Puerto de Las Abejas — 10.4km at 4.3%, summit 823m, 115.8km from the finish. There are several distinct named approaches to this pass (El Burgo, Alozaina, Tolox); this is the Alozaina side. Length, gradient and elevation are from our own GPX route data.
- Cat2Puerto del Viento — 13.77km at 3.8%, summit 1,078m, 101.5km from the finish. Climbed from the east, from El Burgo. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data. Max gradient 9.6%.
- Cat1Peñas Blancas — 18.5km at 5.2%, summit 973m, stage finish. Scene of Richard Carapaz's stage win in 2022, extended a few km longer than the 2013 version. Starts almost at sea level in Estepona; several ramps over 14%. Length, gradient and elevation are from our own GPX route data, with a measured summit of 973m.
Mountain · 186.8km · 5,000m of climbing
Route revised after a landslide closed the road to Alto de Hazallanas — the stage now climbs Puerto de Los Blancares, Puerto de El Purche twice, and the new Puerto de El Duque, before the same unprecedented summit finish at Collado del Alguacil — 8.3km at 9.8%.
- Cat3Puerto de Los Blancares — 8.53km at 3.75%, summit 1,298m, 136.1km from the finish. Unaffected by the stage-20 landslide reroute, climbed from the Guadix side.
- Cat1Puerto de El Purche (1st ascent) — 8.83km at 7.7%, summit 1,483m, 92.5km from the finish. Climbed via Huétor Vega. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data.
- Cat1Puerto de El Purche (2nd ascent) — 8.83km at 7.7%, summit 1,483m, 61.3km from the finish. Second ascent of the day, same climb as earlier.
- Cat1Puerto de El Duque — 8.28km at 7.8%, summit 1,670m, 31.4km from the finish. Never before climbed in Vuelta history. Ascends the same Genil River valley as Alto de Hazallanas, with an identical final 2km finishing on the same road to the Sierra Nevada ski resort — but shorter and slightly easier, and without the 18-19% ramps that mark Hazallanas' opening kilometres after the technical descent from Güéjar Sierra. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data, following on from Puerto de El Purche in the stage's own sequencing.
- ESPCollado del Alguacil — 8.3km at 9.8%, summit 1,884m, stage finish. Unprecedented summit finish and La Vuelta 26's last great challenge — 8.3km at an official average of 9.8%. Length and gradient are from our own GPX route data, measured back from the summit by the official categorised distance.
Flat · 99km · 1,280m of climbing
Ceremonial-style final stage with a circuit finish past the Alhambra, crowning the winner of La Vuelta 26 in Granada.