Barcelona is preparing to host the Tour de France Grand Départ in July 2026, with three stages set to take place across Catalonia on 4, 5 and 6 July 2026. City sports councillor David Escudé says the city is ready for the start of the French cycling race.
Speaking on betevé's Objectiu Grand Départ programme, Escudé said Barcelona is “more than capable of taking on the organisation of an event with infinite technical complexity”. He added that he wants the race to leave a lasting legacy for the city.
The Grand Départ will be the first time Barcelona hosts the start of the Tour de France. Escudé said the idea grew out of the race’s previous visit in 2009, when two stages were described as a success. He said Tour organisers later suggested a future start in the city, and the project was revived a few years ago.
Escudé also said the planning was handled in strict secrecy. He said he contacted the mayors of Tarragona and Granollers by phone and asked them not to share details so the project could move forward. He added that Tour de France general director Christian Prudhomme specifically requested that Montjuïc be included in the route.
The first major event of the 2026 Tour de France will be the team presentation on 2 July. It will begin at the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site and continue down Avinguda de Gaudí to the Sagrada Família. Organisers have not said what will happen at the basilica, and Escudé said the presentation left them surprised when they saw the plan.
For more Catalonia-wide coverage, see our news page. For official race information, visit the Tour de France website and the Barcelona City Council site.