Prince Albert II attended the official presentation of the teams and riders participating in the 81st edition of the Vuelta a España on 20 August 2026 in Monte Carlo’s Casino Square. Monaco will fire the starting gun for the Grand Departure on Saturday 22 August.
During the presentation event, Guardia Civil motorcyclists gathered in Palace Square alongside Prince Albert II for a photo commemorating their presence in the Principality for the Grand Départ. A total of 132 Civil Guards, 59 motorcycles, 28 vehicles, and a helicopter are deployed to ensure the security of the race, which will cover 3,275 km in 21 stages.
“In Monaco, the Guardia Civil motorcyclists will cooperate with the Prince’s Carabinieri motorcycle unit, particularly to provide security and support for the first two stages of the Vuelta. This illustrates the cooperation between the Spanish and Monegasque security forces surrounding this major event,” said the Princely Palace.
The first leg of the competition is a 9.6-kilometre individual time trial which will start at the Place du Casino before heading through the Moulins district, the Fairmont bend, the Larvotto district, Port Hercule, Port de Fontvieille, the Cirque marquee and Stade Louis II before finishing at the start/finish line of the Grands Prix Automobiles.
Next, the second stage on Sunday 23 August, will start from the Place du Palais Princier and the Jardin Exotique, before the riders set off towards France. La Vuelta will end on 13 September in Granada.
With this Grand Départ of the Vuelta, Monaco is now the only city-state in the world to have hosted the start of all three Grand Tours: the Giro d’Italia in 1966, the Tour de France in 2009, and La Vuelta a España in 2026.
