Tour de France comes to Spain: 2026 edition of cycling’s most prestigious race will kick off in Barcelona

CYCLING’S most prestigious race is coming to Spain after it was announced that the 2026 edition of the Tour de France will begin on the streets of Barcelona.

Catalunya will play host to the Tour’s first three stages from July 4 to July 6 as the world’s best cyclists vie to claim the famous yellow jersey.

Barcelona has hosted a Tour stage before, with the most recent one coming in 2009, but it is the first time the city has hosted the opening stage, known as the Grand Depart.

The first stage will take place entirely within the city’s boundaries, whilst the second stage will begin in the Catalan countryside before culminating in the regional capital.

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The city’s mayor, Jaume Collboni, described the announcement as an ‘historic milestone’ which ‘confirms Barcelona’s role as an international sports capital’ during a press conference alongside Christian Prudhomme, the Tour de France director.

He added: “Barcelona will be the only city in the world to host the Olympics, the World Cup, the America’s Cup and the Tour de France, the four most influential sporting events in the world”.

Barcelona will become the third Spanish city to host the Grand Depart following Bilbao in 2023 and San Sebastian in 1992.