The Cyclo-Cross World Championships are over and that means that we will start the preparation races with name and fame in Europe. One of these is the Tour of Valencia, where Remco Evenepoel and Joao Almeida, among others, start the year as crowd pullers. In the Leader’s jersey keep you informed all week!
The Tour of Valencia has been back on the calendar in its current form since 2016, and Wout Poels had the pleasure of winning that edition. The list of winners we have seen since then is impressive: world champions Alejandro Valverde, Tadej Pogacar and Rui Costa, among others, have acquired a place.
Last season the overall victory went to Bahrain Victorious-Colombian Santiago Buitrago. The climber won two stages and left Joao Almeida (UAE Emirates-XRG) and teammate Pello Bilbao behind. Thymen Arensman managed to claim fourth place last season on behalf of INEOS Grenadiers.
Tour of Valencia 2026: route, favorites, day victories and times
Etappe 1, Wednesday, February 4: Segorbe – Torreblanca (162.2 km)
The first stage was from Segorbe to Torreblanca, which is located on the coast where many riders spend the winter with their training camps. At forty kilometers from the end a big pimple had to be overcome, where Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe exploded. Still, it became a sprint (without Mads Pedersen, who fell and had to give up), which was won by Biniam Girmay.
Winner
Biniam Girmay (NSN)
Biniam Girmay (NSN)
Stage 2, Thursday February 5: Carlet – Alginet (17.5 km, time trial)
It was supposed to be a Remco Evenepoel party, and it was in the time trial – sort of. Due to strong winds, the organization decided that the ride would be completed against the clock on a normal bicycle, and that time differences would not count. The world time trial champion still went full throttle and won the time trial, but will be disappointed that he was not able to offer his competitors a lap time.
Winner
Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Stage 3, Friday February 6: Orihuela – Sant Vincent del Raspeig (158.2 km)
It was a difficult, but somewhat strange ride, towards Sant Vincent del Raspeig. A billiard cloth, to big hills in the final. Remco Evenepoel shook the tree briefly, but it was four riders who eventually managed to ride away. Andrew August (INEOS Grenadiers) proved that wheel gluing is not yet a lost art, and sprinted to victory.
Winner
Andrew August (INEOS Grenadiers)
Andrew August (INEOS Grenadiers)
Stage 4, starting February 7: La Nucia – Teulada (172.2 km)
The fourth stage is one that was familiar to all drivers, with start in La Nucia and passages of Calpe, Moraira, Pedreguer and those places. That is precisely the training region of Remco Evenepoel, who more than lived up to his status as top favorite with a solo of fifteen kilometers.
Winner
Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Stage 5, Sunday February 8: Bétera – Valencia (93.8 km)
It seemed to be a simple sprinter’s ride, but the escapees thought differently. They fought like lions and seemed to hold on just fine, despite two (!) falls in the final. The left ball almost killed them, but Raúl García Pierna (Movistar) had enough left to win the sprint against his flight mates. He won and stayed just ahead of the pack.
Winner
Raúl García Pierna (Movistar)
Raúl García Pierna (Movistar)
Final classification Tour of Valencia 2026
It was Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling) who won on day one, taking the first leader’s jersey. He even kept it until after the time trial, but had to be helped by the organization, which did not count time differences due to the strong wind. It was therefore only in the penultimate stage that Remco Evenepoel was able to excel. The leader of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe dominated and took the overall victory by also holding firm in the final stage.
