Barcelona hosts 2026 Tour de France Grand Depart

Barcelona welcomed the opening of the 2026 Tour de France with a team‑time‑trial from the Forum Marina to Montjuïc, the first Grand Départ of the race to be staged outside France. The city invested roughly €9 million (about €8 million plus tax) and expects an economic impact of more than €120 million. Mayor Jaume Collboni described the event as the biggest sporting occasion in the city since the 1992 Olympics, praising the massive public participation – up to 850 000 spectators attended the festivities and the streets were filled with fans. Traffic was heavily restricted around the Sagrada Família and Gaudí Avenue, with extensive road closures and increased metro service. The race’s opening stages featured a 19.6 km team time trial, a 168‑km second stage from Tarragona to Barcelona, and a mountainous third stage to Les Angles. Independentist groups displayed flags along the route, and the event was broadcast across Europe on channels such as Eurosport, HBO Max and national public services. The organizers, Amaury Sport Organisation, scheduled the remaining three weeks of the Tour to continue through France, ending in Paris on 26 July.