Tour of Catalonia 2026: Pyrenees Stage Preview & Rankings

The Tour of Catalonia can rightly be called one of the veterans of the WorldTour calendar. The competition was first held in 1911, and it has long been a competition where the very best participate. Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Miguel Induraín, Alejandro Valverde… the honors list is packed with absolute top players.

Jonas Vingegaard is present, who now hopes to measure his top form from Paris-Nice against the very best. There is certainly competition, with João Almeida and Remco Evenepoel present. The question was whether the latter could be there: he was stuck in Tenerife, but caught the plane to Barcelona, and will cross swords with a lot of competitors.

Latest winners of the Tour of Catalonia

2025 Primoz Roglic
2024 Tadej Pogacar
2023 Primoz Roglic
2022 Sergio Higuita
2021 Adam Yates
Not held in 2020
2019 Miguel Ángel López
2018 Alejandro Valverde
2017 Alejandro Valverde
2016 Nairo Quintana

Course, favorites, day victories and times Tour of Catalonia 2026

Stage 1, 23 March 2026: Sant Feliu de Guíxols – Sant Feliu de Guíxols (172.7 km)

An unknown run-up, but an all too familiar finale. The hills surrounding Sant Feliu de Guíxols have been used for some time in the traditional finish of the first stage. The finish in particular is infamous, with a tough ascending stretch in the final kilometer. The classification teams made it very difficult in the final, but Dorian Godon (INEOS) passed that test and sprinted to victory.

Stage 2, 24 March 2026: Figueres – Banyoles (167.4 km)

It became a bit more difficult in stage 2. The drive to Banyoles, like the rest of Catalonia, is all hills. Especially in the final it was quite uphill, although it would never be very difficult. For that reason we had a fairly large peloton that sprinted, although Magnus Cort Nielsen won somewhat surprisingly after a tough day.

Stage 3, March 25, 2026: Mont-roig del Camp – Vila-Seca (159.4 km)

It seemed to be a day for the escapees or strong sprinters, but Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard turned it into a great fan show. The pair rode away into the wind and seemed to be battling for victory, until the Belgian fell in the final kilometer. Vingegaard decided to wait: the sprint was won by leader Dorian Godon.

Stage 4, March 26, 2026: Mataró – Vallter (173 km)

Climbing, and how…. the original plan was to go to Valter 2000, but due to the weather conditions at the top of the mountain this was not possible and we were given an extra sprint opportunity. Ethan Vernon (NSN) took full advantage of this.

Stage 5, 27 March 2026: La Seu d’Urgell – La Molina/Coll de Pal (155.3 km)

If you thought we were done climbing, you were completely mistaken. The fifth stage is the second stage in a very tough triptych. Once again we finish above 2000 meters, this time on the Coll de Pal. But there are still four tough climbs before the last one, which means that no less than 4,500 vertical meters are crammed into 155 kilometers. Toil!

Favorites

Times
Start: 11.40 am
Finish: approx. 4.20 pm

Stage 6, March 28, 2026: Berga – Queralt (158.2 km)

And there is number three of the triptych. Another 4000 meters of altitude, although this time the climbs will be slightly less high. After 158 kilometers they finish at Queralt, a climb of 6 kilometers at 7%. But due to the tough run-up and the days leading up to it, it could explode completely again.

Favorites
Tom Pidcock (Pinarello – Q36.5)
Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious)
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Times
Start: 12.50 pm
Finish: approx. 4.35 pm

Stage 7, March 29, 2026: Barcelona – Barcelona (95.1 km)

A traditional finish in Barcelona, which does not differ much from the well-known product. And that’s a good thing! The Alt del Castell de Montjuïc is the executioner, with no fewer than seven passages of the steep pimple. The final stage is only 95 kilometers, but last year the race was decided here. So anything can happen!

Favorites
Oscar Onley (INEOS Grenadiers)
Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates – XRG)

Times
Start: 11.50 am
Finish: approx. 2 p.m

Favorites final classification Tour of Catalonia 2026

After his incredible show in Paris-Nice earlier this month, it makes sense Jonas Vingegaard as an absolute top favorite in Catalonia. The Dane of Visma | Lease a Bike won the Course to the Sun with the largest difference since 1939, and it will be difficult to beat him. Who could do that? João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) perhaps, who had to skip the match.

Met Oscar Onley there is another man at the start who rode in the top five in the last Tour de France. Decathlon CMA CGM also has one Felix Gallwhich together with Matthew Riccitello calls the shots. Movistar also bet on multiple paths, with Cian Uijtdebroeks in Enrique Mas. The returning one Mikel Landa At Soudal Quick-Step, it forms a strong block with Junior Lecerf and Valentin Paret-Peintre.

Read more below the photo!

Tom Pidcock (Pinarello – Q36.5 Pro Cycling) will really test its classification legs for the first time in Catalonia. What can he do after his third place in the Vuelta a España? Derek Gee-West hopes to improve for Lidl-Trek after a seventh place in the UAE Tour: that team also has Mattias Skjelmose in Giulio Ciccone in the ranks. Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) hopes to continue his form from Paris-Nice, and he also has Santiago Buitrago with him.

Georg Steinhauser, who finished third in Nice, is also in the good flow. EF Education – EasyPost also sends Richard Carapaz to Catalonia. Back to UAE Team Emirates and Visma | Lease a Bike: what can master craftsmen do? Sepp kissJørgen Nordhagen, Brandon McNulty, Marc Soler en Jay Vine in the shadow of their leaders?

Who are the favorites for the final classification of the Tour of Catalonia 2026 according to In de Leader’s Jersey?

Top favorite: Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Outsiders: Florian Lipowitz, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Tom Pidcock (Pinarello – Q36.5 Pro Cycling)
Long shots: Oscar Onley (INEOS Grenadiers), Felix Gall, Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM), Derek Gee-West, Mattas Skjelmose, Giulio Ciccone, (Lidl-Trek), Enric Mas, Cian Uijtdebroeks (Movistar), Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step), Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) and Sepp Kuss (Visma | Lease a Bike)

TV Tour of Catalonia 2026

Turn on the TV to Eurosport 1 for the broadcast of the Tour of Catalonia. It starts every day at 3:10 PM or 3:20 PM, with the exception of Friday and Sunday: then the race starts earlier and the broadcast starts at 2:20 PM and 12:20 PM respectively. The match can also be followed on HBO Max.