The Vuelta Ciclista a España 2026 returns to Estepona with one of the most decisive stage finishings

It will take place on September 11 and will have as its finishing point the Peñas Blancas pass. This first category pass was once the first uphill finish in the province in the history of La Vuelta.

Estepona will once again enjoy live the Vuelta Ciclista a España. The city will host one of the most decisive stage finishes of the competition. It is the 19th stage (antepenultimate), which will take place on September 11 and will conclude with the high mountain climb to the viewpoint of Peñas Blancas. It so happens that this first category mountain pass was once the first uphill finish in the province of Malaga in the history of La Vuelta.

The organization of the competition has presented in Monaco the dates and route of the next edition, the 81st, which will take place from August 22 to September 13, starting at the Casino de Monaco and finishing at the Alhambra in Granada. The race will pass through four countries (Monaco, France, Andorra and Spain) and will cover nearly 3,300 kilometers, with more than 58,000 meters of accumulated positive altitude gain, in what the organization has described as “one of the toughest editions in history”.

During the official presentation ceremony, which was attended by the mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, the general director Javier Guillén highlighted the toughness of the climb to Peñas Blancas, one of the most decisive stages of the competition. “Two years ago La Vuelta was already there, and Richard Carapaz was there. It’s a stage in which the first part is quite easy, but the finish is hard. It is a decisive finish because there would be only two days ahead and anyone who wants to recover will have only that day and the next to do so.”

The alderman has pointed out that this will be one of the great sporting events in Estepona next year. Stage 19, of 205 kilometers, will enter the province of Malaga through Velez Malaga and will conclude in Peñas Blancas.

“It is the best event we could have, millions of people through media from up to 200 countries around the world will be able to see Estepona from the sky, enjoying live all the natural environment of our municipality,” said García Urbano, who thanked the organization of La Vuelta, and its general director, Javier Guillén, “to count once again with Estepona”; as well as the Provincial Council and its president, Francisco Salado, “because they collaborate directly to make it possible for Estepona to have this stage.”

On the occasion of this sporting event, the City Council is already working on the organization of various activities that will be experienced in the city for all citizens to participate in this event, as has happened on previous occasions in which La Vuelta stopped or passed through Estepona.