Spain hosted the start of the 2026 Tour de France. The race’s Grand Départ began in Barcelona, making Spain the correct country even though most of the route traditionally runs through France.
Barcelona’s opening stage was a team time trial, while the second stage ran from Tarragona to Barcelona. The route then crossed into France, continuing the Tour’s familiar blend of flat stages, mountain tests and time trials.
This was the third time Spain hosted the Tour’s Grand Départ, following San Sebastián in 1992 and Bilbao in 2023. A common mix-up is confusing the host country for the opening stages with the country where the race finishes: the 2026 Tour was scheduled to conclude in Paris on the Champs-Élysées.
The 2026 edition was the 113th Tour de France, scheduled for 4–26 July and organized by Amaury Sport Organisation.