The 2026 Vuelta a España starts on Saturday 22 August in Monaco and finishes 21 stages and 3,275km later on Sunday 13 September in Granada.
It's a significantly hillier finale than the usual Madrid finishing stage, while the 9.5km first-stage Monaco time trial means Tadaj Pogačar, who lives in the principality, won't need to roll out of bed too early for his first Vuelta start since 2019. Pogačar is looking to add the one grand tour title he's missing to his palmarès.
This year's route hugs the east and south coasts of Spain, skipping the usual showdowns on the steep climbs in the north of the country. That's not to say it's flat; there's more than 58,000m of elevation gain across the 21 stages, almost 4,000m more than in 2025.
Barring accident, Pogačar must be odds-on favourite to win the race, having dominated this year's Tour de France.
How to watch the Vuelta a España 2026: quick guide
- Watch in the UK: Subscribe to TNT Sports
- Watch in the USA: Subscribe to Peacock
- Watch in Canada: Subscribe to FloBikes
- Watch in Australia: Free to view on SBS
- Watch anywhere: Catch your usual stream on the move by subscribing to NordVPN*
How can I watch the Vuelta a España 2026 live in the UK?
TNT Sports/HBO Max will show the race live and, as usual, there’s an on-demand option, highlights, analysis and more. Coverage times are to be confirmed.
A TNT Sports/HBO Max subscription costs £25.99 per month when billed annually. It’s available on a range of platforms, including tablets, mobile, TV with Chromecast, or AirPlay, Android TV or Apple TV.
You don't have to sign up for TNT Sports to see highlights of the 2026 race, though, with Channel 5 set to broadcast free-to-air highlights at 7pm each day.
How else can I watch the Vuelta a España 2026 when I’m outside the UK?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software that enables you to change your device's IP address, making it appear as though you're accessing the internet from another country.
As long as you adhere to your broadcaster's terms and conditions, a VPN enables you to unblock your usual streaming services, no matter your location. Additionally, a VPN can improve playback speeds and significantly enhance your overall internet security.
There are many VPN options available, but we recommend NordVPN as the best choice. It offers strong streaming capabilities, robust security features and excellent value for money.
*At BikeRadar (published by Kelsey Media), we review VPN services to help you access online content and services securely while you're on the go. This includes activities such as streaming your favourite TV shows, live web content or using apps from different countries (provided it's okay with the service provider’s terms and conditions). It's important to note: BikeRadar does not endorse or support the use of VPN services for illegal or malicious activities, such as accessing paid-for pirated content. Please ensure you enjoy online content responsibly.
How can I watch the Vuelta a España 2026 live in the US and Canada?
The race will be hosted in the USA by NBC and its paid-for streaming service, Peacock.
Subscriptions to Peacock cost from $7.99 a month, or $79.99 a year for a basic plan. The price rises to $16.99 a month or $169.99 a year for an ad-free plan.
In Canada, racing is available on FloBikes, with a subscription costing CAD$49.99 a month or $216 for 12 months.
How can I watch the Vuelta a España 2026 live in Australia?
SBS will be covering the Vuelta a España live and on demand, with live broadcast times shown here. With live coverage of most stages starting around 11pm and finishing around 2am, this might be one to pick up next morning on the SBS On Demand website.
How can I watch the Vuelta a España 2026 if I can’t get live coverage?
There’s live terrestrial coverage in many European countries, with RTVE showing the race live and on demand.
YouTube is a good option if you want shorter highlights and you don’t have on-demand access to any of the above sources. You can also watch short highlights videos on the Vuelta a España site.
Both are also good sources for highlights of previous editions to get you geared up for the racing.
