Barcelona launches Tour de France 2026 with Gaudí-themed team ceremony and weekend of racing

A ceremonial start beneath Gaudí's masterpieces

The team presentation, the first major public act of the Grand Départ, takes place this Thursday evening from 18:30 to approximately 20:00. The 23 teams (18 WorldTeams and 5 ProTeams) will ride from the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau down Avinguda Gaudí to a stage erected in front of the Sagrada Família, a route framed by Gaudí's architecture. The ceremony is free and open to the public, with the city promoting a slogan of 'Barcelona abraça el Tour' and promising a televised spectacle for 190 countries.

Traffic in the surrounding area will be restricted from 14:00, with the perimeter bounded by Ronda del Guinardó, Sant Quintí, Còrsega, Dos de Maig, Aragó, Diagonal, Nàpols, Sant Antoni Maria Claret and Castillejos. Barriers began to be placed on Avinguda Gaudí the night before. Roads are scheduled to reopen progressively from 21:30. The city estimates around 80,000 spectators will attend the presentation.

The sporting programme: time trial and a mountain finish

Saturday July 4 will see the first competitive stage, an individual time trial in Barcelona. On Sunday July 5, the second stage departs from Tarragona and finishes on the Montjuïc mountain inside the city. The full three-day stretch includes the start of a third stage from Granollers before the peloton leaves Catalonia for France. Organisers anticipate about 600,000 fans for the time trial and roughly 170,000 for the second stage.

Managing heat and crowd safety

With high temperatures forecast across the weekend, the city council has deployed 35 mobile drinking-water fountains along the race routes, adding to the permanent public fountains. Authorities are reinforcing Catalonia's civil protection recommendations: drink water frequently, wear light clothing, use head coverings, and take breaks in shade or air-conditioned spaces. Barcelona has a network of more than 500 climate refuges; according to the council, 99.2% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of one and 76.8% within five minutes. Emergency services will remain on duty throughout the event.

Logistical scale and mobility

Summing up the three days, the city needs 70 kilometres of barriers to delineate the circuits. Parking areas for cyclists and a special sweeping of the asphalt are being arranged, and the metro system will increase its capacity by up to 40%. A permanent press centre was inaugurated on Wednesday at the Palau Sant Jordi, hosting 2,000 accredited journalists for the first three stages. The official information portal letour.barcelona collects access details and traffic updates.