Barcelona to Host 2026 Tour de France Grand Depart

The 2026 Tour de France will start on July 4 in Barcelona with a team time-trial, marking the event's first return to Spain since 2023. The opening stage will kick off a historic connection between Barcelona and the race, with local officials celebrating this significant sporting milestone.

The 2026 Tour de France is set to begin on July 4, in Barcelona, Spain, with a team time-trial serving as the opening stage. This marks the first time since 1971 that the renowned cycling event will kick off with this format.

The 'Grand Depart' will feature a 19.7-kilometre team time-trial, echoing a format first introduced in the 2023 Paris-Nice race, where a team's time is calculated based on the first rider to cross the finish line. Individual general classification timings, however, will reflect each rider's own time.

Barcelona plays a vital role in this edition of the Tour, with city mayor Jaume Collboni hailing the historic moment as a 'culmination of a love story' between Barcelona and the Tour. The event marks the first time since 2023 that the Tour will commence in Spain, after its previous start in Bilbao.

(With inputs from agencies.)