The 2026 Tour de France will start in Barcelona, Tour director Christian Prudhomme said on Tuesday.
After 1957, 1965 and 2009, the it will be the Tour's fourth to visit Barcelona, but the fist time the city hosts the Grand Départ.
"We like big cities. In the case of Barcelona, the political will was there, but also the sporting interest," Prudhomme said.
The first stage will take place in Barcelona on July 4, 2026. On the following two days, the stages will be held in the city's surrounding areas.
The decision follows the Tour's trend towards more starts abroad. Last year, the first stages were held in the Basque Country, and this year's Tour starts in Florence, Italy next Saturday.