The opening stage of the Tour de France, which starts in Barcelona next year, will feature a team race for the first time in the history of the race. The cyclists will cover 19.7 km, finishing near the stadium built for the 1992 Olympic Games on Montjuïc Hill.
The organizers announced that the team race will use the same timing rules as the 2023 Paris-Nice, meaning that every rider's time will count. The previous tradition was that the time of the fourth-placed rider would count. This gives the fastest riders the opportunity to go their own way or stay with the team.
The last time a team race was seen in Barcelona was in 2023, when the Vuelta was given the starting shot in this way.
The 2026 Tour will start with three stages in Spain. The second day will start in Tarragona, which will be the southernmost city in the Tour's history, and finish in Barcelona. The third stage will start in Granollers, with a destination in France yet to be announced.
💛 #TDF2026 , it all starts in Barcelona!
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) February 25, 2025
💛 #TDF2026 , tout commence à Barcelona! pic.twitter.com/o43i3hJHmp
Barcelona x Le Tour 🙌
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) February 25, 2025
See you in July 2026! See you in July 2026! pic.twitter.com/3KJaf1th6S
📍 Montjuïc
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) February 26, 2025
🔜 #TDF2026 pic.twitter.com/zeW6ISQBZF
