With the first two major stage races of the season now concluded, the Vuelta a España represents the final chapter of the three-week stage races of 2026. Between steep mountains, all-out sprinter stages, challenging hilly days and time trial battles, the 21 stages promise spectacle without question.

The race will start from the Principality of Monaco with a time trial that will touch some of the most famous locations, before entering France on the second day. From there the peloton will head towards the Pyrenees, with a finish in Andorra on the fourth stage. In the following days there will be a mix of routes, with characteristics suited to different types of riders, before the first week concludes with a summit finish on Alto de Aitana and over 5,000 metres of total elevation gain on the day.

The second week will begin with some opportunities for the fastest men in the peloton, before the general classification riders, climbers and breakaway specialists will likely divide the four subsequent stages. This will be followed by a well-deserved rest day, before the sprinters have their opportunities again at La Rábida and Seville. The longest time trial of the race, scheduled for the 18th stage, will be important for those fighting for the general classification, while two major mountain days, Friday and Saturday, will offer climbers the last chance to make their mark on the race. The Vuelta will conclude in Granada, with an interesting circuit in the finale that will undoubtedly see puncheurs attempting to drop any remaining sprinters still in contention.

Looking ahead to the Vuelta, the sporting director of Picnic PostNL Team, Phil West, stated: "It will be a tough race. I think we can expect really high temperatures as we descend along the eastern coast heading towards Granada. It's generally very hot there, so that will be an additional difficulty. As for the riders, we've arrived with a squad capable of targeting stage wins and we have several riders who can go on the attack on the big mountains. Our Colombian rider, Juan Guillermo Martinez, could be one of these, but we also have several other climbers who can compete on those days.

And further: We have riders who can target the more undulating stages and the sprints. There are approximately three opportunities for sprinters, so we have a couple of guys who can target those stages, either from the main group or from a breakaway. Overall, we have a fairly balanced squad. We hope to be protagonists every day. Of course, when the general classification riders battle it out, we'll race intelligently, conserve our energy and look to the next opportunity. There should be something to fight for every day, so we hope to make this Vuelta exciting".

Roster: Mattia Gaffuri, Chris Hamilton, Henri-Francois Haquin, Timo de Jong, Gijs Leemreize, Juan Guillermo Martinez, Oliver Peace, Timo Roosen