Tour de France stage launches in Tarragona, Spain

The 2026 Tour de France began its second stage on Sunday, July 5, in Tarragona, the southernmost city ever to host a stage of the race. Around 50,000‑80,000 spectators gathered in the city centre and along the 5.9‑km neutralised start in Parc del Francolí, watching the peloton roll out from the Torre dels Vents.

Local officials highlighted the event’s tourism potential. Tarragona’s president of the Diputació, Noemí Llauradó, said the live broadcast to 190 countries would showcase the city’s heritage and coastline. The mayor, Rubén Viñuales, called it a “window to the world” for the region.

Fans crowded the streets, buying official jerseys, caps and replica leader’s jerseys, with queues at merchandise stalls sometimes exceeding ten minutes. Volunteers numbered about 500, assisting with crowd control and refreshments. Parking in parts of the city was restricted, and the Francolí riverbanks were cordoned off for the start.

The stage route continued along the Mediterranean coast through Altafulla, Torredembarra, Creixell, Roda de Berà, Calafell, Cunit and El Vendrell before finishing on Montjuïc in Barcelona. The event generated significant local enthusiasm and is expected to boost tourism and international visibility for the province of Tarragona.