![\"etappe-2-tour-2026\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/etappe-2-tour-2026.jpg@webp.webp\")
We\u2019ll start in Tarragona<\/a>, which is about an hour south of Barcelona. From there, we\u2019ll follow the Costa Brava for about 75 kilometers, during which a breakaway group will likely be given a free pass by the peloton. There could still be some competition for that, as the first mountain jersey will be awarded after about 94 kilometers of riding in this stage, which is 168.5 kilometers long in total and features 2,500 meters of climbing\u2014all in the second half.<\/p>\nNear Castelldefels, after 71.5 kilometers of racing and a spot where many teams have been based over the past few days, we head inland. This is a key point for the sprinter teams, as the first intermediate sprint is scheduled 15 kilometers further on. In Viladecans, we\u2019ll already get a preview of who\u2019s set their sights on the green jersey.<\/p>\n
This stretch isn\u2019t just part of the intermediate sprint, but also marks the start of the Tour de France\u2019s<\/a> first serious climb: the C\u00f4te de Begues is 6.1 kilometers long and has an average gradient of 6.5 percent. The major teams will want to be somewhat near the front here, especially since the route remains on a sort of plateau for the next fifteen kilometers.<\/p>\n Next, we\u2019ll descend from El Pla de Pelag to sea level, where the drag race will gradually begin. Within twelve kilometers, we\u2019ll already be at the circuit in Barcelona, where the race will ultimately reach its climax. That circuit is twelve kilometers long and will have to be completed two and a half times.<\/p>\n Read more below the photo!<\/p>\n As soon as we enter the circuit, the key challenge awaits us fairly quickly: the climb up Montju\u00efc, via a significantly steeper side than we\u2019re used to seeing, for example, in the final stage of the Tour of Catalonia. With a 1.6-kilometer climb at a 9.3 percent gradient\u2014which doesn\u2019t drop below 10 percent in the final few hundred meters\u2014it\u2019s more like Mur de Huy. And that\u2019s where Newton\u2019s laws come into play, as someone like Van der Poel carries about 10 kilograms more than many of his opponents.<\/p>\n After a short descent of just over a kilometer, the final climb to the finish line at the Olympic Stadium follows: 700 meters at a 7 percent gradient. So there\u2019s little time to recover. Even in the remainder of the circuit, which features a few technical sections, the course continues to undulate slightly, so there are few real moments of respite in Barcelona.<\/p>\n Read more below the photos!<\/p>\n This sets the stage for chaos, because the stakes are high at this stage of the Tour de France, which means that all teams and riders want to be at the front. In addition to the tougher climb, this makes it a completely different challenge than the classic Montju\u00efc circuit we know from the Tour of Catalonia,<\/a> where the order of the peloton is usually already set. Let\u2019s at least hope for a great race, without any crashes!<\/p>\n Times 2026 Tour de France stage 2 weather<\/p>\n It has been quite warm in Barcelona all week, and that won’t change as we head into Sunday. The temperature will reach 32 to 33 degrees Celsius, but it will feel a bit warmer in the city. There will be a light southerly breeze, but it is unlikely to have much of an effect.<\/p>\n 2026 Tour de France stage 2 favourites<\/p>\n 2,500 meters of elevation gain over 80 kilometers\u2014that\u2019s really something. Add to that the fact that we\u2019re in the second stage of the world\u2019s biggest cycling race and riding on a city circuit, and you\u2019ve got a tricky ride on your hands. One of those where you probably can\u2019t win the Tour de France here, but you sure can lose it.<\/p>\n![\"montjuic-rondje-tour\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/montjuic-rondje-tour.jpg@webp.webp\")
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Start: 1:55 p.m CET
Finish: approximately 5:35 p.m CET<\/p>\n
![\"pogacar-pidcock\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/pogacar-pidcock-6a48e26165cb0.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"pogacar-van-der-poel-vingegaard\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/pogacar-van-der-poel-vingegaard.jpg@webp.webp\")
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