Monaco will host the grand departure of La Vuelta 26

Published on 16 May 2024 at 12:00 - Modified the 27 July 2024 at 12:19

Monaco will host the official start of the Vuelta 26. The announcement was made official at a ceremony held at the Monaco Yacht Club. The agreement was signed by H.E. Mr Pierre Dartout, Minister of State of the Principality of Monaco, Yan Le Moenner, Managing Director of Amaury Sport Organisation, and Javier Guillén, Managing Director of La Vuelta, in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. After Portugal, the Netherlands and France, the official start of the 81st edition of the race will once again take place from abroad.

The inaugural stage will take place entirely on Monegasque territory, which will also host the start of the second stage of La Vuelta 26. In this way, the Vuelta will once again set off from abroad, following the official starts from Lisbon (1997), Assen (2009), Nîmes (2017) and Utrecht (2022), and those organised in Lisbon, Oeiras and Cascais in 2024.

In 2026, the Principality of Monaco will add the Spanish race to the list of major sporting events celebrated on its streets. As far as cycling is concerned, it has already hosted the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in 2009 and will again play a key role in the Tour de France by hosting the start of the final time trial between Monaco and Nice on the final stage of the Tour de France 2024.

Monaco has a wealth of experience in organising major international events, including the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival and the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, one of the world's biggest sporting events, which attracts top sports stars and celebrities from all walks of life every year.