Tour de France 2026 opens with team time trial in Barcelona
The 2026 Tour de France started on 4 July with a 19.6 km team time trial on the streets of Barcelona. Visma‑Lease a Bike won the stage, putting Jonas Vingegaard in the yellow jersey while Tadej Pogačar stayed within striking distance.
Stage 2 on 5 July ran 168.5 km from Tarragona to Barcelona. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) claimed the victory and Vingegaard defended the overall lead. The stage featured a category‑2 climb at Côte de Begues and three finishes on the Montjuïc circuit.
Wildfires in the French Pyrenées forced organizers to ban spectators and restrict vehicles for the third stage from Granollers to Les Angles. Only riders and essential team vehicles were allowed on the route, and fans were urged to stay away from the course.
Several teams provided commentary through podcasts and fan events, including Red Bull‑BORA‑Hansgrohe, Lidl‑Trek, and Grupo Valverde, highlighting the race’s cultural impact and the competition for podium places among riders such as Florian Lipowitz, Remco Evenepoel and Juan Ayuso.