Heat, big mountains and high altitude - Mikel Landa weighs in on 2026 Vuelta a Espana route, where he may lead Quick-Step

La Vuelta a España 2026 was unveiled on Wednesday night in Monaco, revealing a route clearly geared towards high mountains. The race, scheduled from the 22nd of August to the 13th September 2026 packs more than 58,000 metres of elevation gain, several summit finishes, and two time trials that will shape the three weeks of racing. A demanding design that could open gaps from the very first days, to which Mikel Landa shared his thoughts on.

The route profile points to a brutal edition, where the general classification hierarchy could be set earlier than usual. The abundance of uphill finishes and the constant presence of mountains make the 2026 Vuelta ideal for pure climbers, with enough balance to keep the GC alive to the very end.

One of the first riders to assess the route was Mikel Landa. The Soudal Quick-Step leader, a Vuelta regular with eight participations, said he was not surprised by the organizers' blueprint at the race's presentation in Monaco earlier this week. “No surprises. It’s a very hard edition, with the big mountains coming early and many high-altitude finishes,” the Basque rider explained in a press release shared by the team.

Landa also highlighted another decisive factor: the weather. “Having so many stages in the south also means the heat could play an important role,” he noted, referring to the heat that is often an issue in that region at that time of year. In his analysis, the rider stressed that it is “a demanding route, offering many opportunities for climbers and keeping the GC fight open until the last day,” a combination that promises an intense, fiercely contested Vuelta.

Mikel joined Soudal Quick-Step to be a domestique for Remco Evenepoel. However, after the Belgian superstar’s move to Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, he stands as the team’s best climber. By route, nationality, and skill set, the Vuelta a España suits him best with no doubt.

He already has a stage win taken in 2015, and his best overall result is a fifth place which he achieved in 2023. If he gets everything right and arrives in peak form, Landa could target a stage victory and improve on that performance from a couple of seasons ago.