Monaco, Andorra, gravel, and the Angliru del Sur: the five stages that will decide the 2026 Vuelta a España.

Vuelta director Javier Guillén doesn't mince his words: the 2026 Vuelta will be "the toughest Vuelta of my life." With an all-time record of 58,156 meters of elevation gain, the 81st edition of the Spanish race promises to be one of the most selective ever, and for those who play fantasy cycling, that means only one thing: watch out for collapses, because no one will be safe here.

With seven uphill finishes, a virtually unprecedented finale in Granada (only once since 1935 has the race finished so far south), and the third consecutive foreign start, this time from Monaco, there are some stages that will weigh more heavily on the overall classification. We'll tell you about them one by one, always keeping an eye on fantasy cycling strategies.

Stage 4: The early challenge of Andorra (104 km)

This short, punchy stage through the Pyrenean mini-state closely resembles stage 4 of the 2017 Vuelta, which provided pure spectacle. It's no coincidence: eight years ago, the race also started abroad (then in Nîmes, with a team time trial) before tackling the Eastern Pyrenees. After the inaugural time trial in Monaco and the first uphill finish at the Category 2 Fort de San Romeu (where, according to route planner Fernando Escartín, a bunch sprint of 30-40 riders is expected), stage 4 will be a completely different story.

With three first-category categorized climbs and one third-category climb in just one hundred kilometers, recovery time between climbs will be minimal, exposing the most vulnerable teams and riders right from the start. A precedent worth keeping in mind for fantasy cycling: last August, a much less challenging finish in Andorra already cost names like Juan Ayuso precious time. With much tougher climbs, the repercussions could be even more severe among the second-tier contenders.

A statistical curiosity: in 2017, the stage victory went to Vincenzo Nibali, but it was Chris Froome, with his trademark accelerations on the low ramps of the Comella, who muzzled the competition and captured the red jersey he would never relinquish. In 2026, the Comella will also be the final climb of the day, albeit on the easier side: anyone wanting to throw down the gauntlet of the Vuelta anew could choose precisely this scenario. And a certain five-time Tour winner might already have the same strategy in mind as Froome.

Stage 6: the first time on dirt roads (176 km)

It took time, but we're finally here. For years, veteran commentator Pedro Delgado has been clamoring for a gravel stage at the Vuelta, and now, amid the little-known mountains of northern Valencia, his wish has come true. Until now, the Spanish race had never ventured as far as the Giro and Tour with the dirt roads of Tuscany or the vineyards of Champagne: the only precedent, a short stretch between Cormella and Cortals d'Encamp in 2019 (won by a certain Tadej Pogačar), had minimal consequences, save for a few crashes without serious repercussions for Miguel Angel López and Primož Roglič.

This time, however, the 3.5 km of dirt road before the summit of the Category 1 Puerto El Bartolo could be a game-changer. Dubbed an "ambush zone" by the official Vuelta website, this climb has never been part of the professional calendar before, not even in the smaller races held there. According to Fernando Ferrari, director of the specialized website Ciclo21 and who has climbed El Bartolo several times, the proximity of the dirt road to the summit will be crucial: those who struggle there will have very little chance of recovering on the subsequent descent, with just 19 km to the finish. A valuable piece of advice for those managing a fantasy cycling team: focusing on riders with gravel experience and good downhill technique could make the difference on this unpredictable stage.

Stage 14: 'The Angliru of the South' (152 km)

Local fans call it that, and for good reason: the Sierra de la Pandera, introduced in 2002, is a painful, poorly paved climb that winds its way into the void between the seas of olive trees of the province of Jaén. Although less spectacular than the Asturian monster, every time the Vuelta has climbed it (six times so far), it has left its mark on the general classification.

In 2022, it was here that Primož Roglič dealt a devastating blow to Remco Evenepoel, deeply shaking him: who knows what would have happened if the Slovenian hadn't crashed a few days later. Pay attention to the true length of the climb: the organizers say it's 8 km, but in reality, it's a full 23 km from the town of Los Villares to the former military base at the summit. The final 8 km, with gradients of up to 21%, comes after another 16 km of already challenging sections, all preceded by 120 km through one of Spain's least populated provinces, with technical bends and temperatures that can exceed 40 degrees.

For fantasy cycling, this is a stage to circle in red: the Vuelta won't be won here, but it can be lost. Riders with less endurance in the extreme heat and less experience on uneven climbs are at great risk.

Stage 18: the revenge of the chronomen (32 km, El Puerto de Santa María – Jerez de la Frontera)

Last year, when the 2025 route was unveiled, the surprise was the sheer number of mountainous stages in northern and eastern Spain. But Unipublic had reserved a spectacular stage for the time trialists: a 33-kilometer, flat individual time trial, right in the city that symbolizes the Vuelta time trials. Threats of pro-Palestine protests drastically shortened the route to just 12.2 kilometers, thwarting those plans: João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) gained just 11 seconds on Jonas Vingegaard, a minimal gain despite his efforts.

In 2026, stage 18, held at the same time on the calendar, on the plains of Jerez in southeastern Andalusia, could tell a different story: 32 kilometers almost completely flat, but exposed to Atlantic winds, often stronger than in Valladolid. Although the differences in the third week are generally smaller than in the first, it's not uncommon for climbers to still collapse against the clock: it happened in 2010, also in Valladolid, when 'Purito' Rodríguez lost the leader's jersey in a time trial ultimately won by Vincenzo Nibali. For fantasy cycling, keeping a pure time trialist on the team here could prove a winning move, especially if the wind makes the difference.

Stage 20: the final showdown (187 km, La Herrada – Collado del Alguacil)

"If I were the leader of the general classification, knowing what awaits me that day, I wouldn't sleep soundly, no matter how big my lead," says Luis Ángel Maté, a former Andalusian professional who lived in the area for a long time. The Collado del Alguacil, the final climb of the 2026 Vuelta, is probably one of the toughest climbs of the entire race.

Part of the vast network of climbs in the southern Sierra Nevada, it comes at the end of what is undoubtedly the toughest stage of the entire Vuelta: approximately 5,000 meters of total elevation gain, with the almost equally challenging Alto del Purche climbed twice, plus the lesser-known Puerto de El Duque. A mountain day comparable to the crowning stages of the Tour and Giro, aggravated by the scorching Andalusian heat and the fatigue of three weeks of racing.

According to former 2006 Tour de France winner Oscar Pereiro, now a RTVE commentator, "this is where we'll have a definitive verdict." The precedent from 2024, when Adam Yates won on similar climbs and the peloton arrived split into pairs, bodes well for a spectacular finale. The Hazallanas has been replaced due to landslides, but the double passage over the Purche combined with the Puerto de El Duque should already drastically divide the peloton before the Alguacil.

Describing the final climb, Maté explains: "It's about nine kilometers at a steady average of 10%. The first 200 meters are particularly tough, with 20% gradients, then there's a short respite. But the hardest part is right at the top, with a couple of endless switchbacks." Also watch out for the wind: "Up there, everything is exposed; you can have a tailwind or a headwind, never a sidewind, and that could significantly impact the final kilometer."

Whoever wears the red jersey at the top of Alguacil can consider themselves almost certain of overall victory, but Maté warns that Sunday's final stage, with a short but technical finish at the Alhambra, could also hold surprises. For Fantacycling , this is the key stage to keep an eye on for bonus points and placings: those with a large number of GC riders on their team could take full points right here, in the final act of a Vuelta that promises to be memorable.

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency