The 2026 Vuelta a España will open with a spectacular 9.6-kilometer individual time trial held entirely on the streets of the Principality of Monaco, marking a historic moment for the great Spanish tour.

The time trial route will start from the prestigious Place du Casino and end on Boulevard Albert I, famous for hosting the finish line of the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix. The route will pass through the Moulins and Larvotto neighborhoods, Port Hercule, Port de Fontvieille, and will include the famous Fairmont Hairpin, a 180-degree curve characteristic of the F1 circuit.

With 300 days to go until the 'Gran Partida' of the 81st edition, organizers and representatives of the Principality gathered at the One Monte-Carlo conference center to unveil details of the inaugural stage. The starting ramp will be located right in front of the famous casino.

The second stage will start from the Jardin Exotique near the Place du Palais Princier and then head into France. The first two road stages will finish in France, before the race enters Spain for the fourth stage. The full route of the 2026 Vuelta will be revealed on December 17th in Monaco.

With this start, Monaco becomes the only city to have hosted the start of all three Grand Tours, after the Giro d'Italia in 1966 and the Tour de France in 2009. For the Vuelta, this is the sixth start from abroad, following the recent editions which began in Lisbon in 2024 and Italy in 2025.

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