Rumours suggest Aubisque-Tourmalet combination return for the queen stage of 2027 Vuelta a Espana!
CyclingWednesday, 02 September 2026 at 03:00
The 2026 Vuelta a Espana is only just entering its second half, including some very key stages, but rumours about the edition yet to come are already sparking debate in the cycling community. And even though this year's edition already isn't short on long, hard mountain stages, the organizers seem to be preparing something truly special for 2027 race.
Due to its proximity to France, it's not rare for the Spanish Grand Tour to cross the Pyrenean borders in search of thrilling action. In 2026, the peloton only briefly passed through France following the start in Monaco, but in 2027, the Hautes-Pyrénées region will be witness to some truly challenging stages.
For instance, a grueling Pyrenees stage over the Col d'Aubisque and the Col du Tourmalet, among others, is reportedly on the schedule, according to local newspaper La Nouvelle République des Pyrénées.
The stage would start in Jaca, Spain, and tackle the Col du Pourtalet, the Col d'Aubisque, the Col du Soulor, and the Col du Tourmalet, finishing on the climb of Val Louron-Azet. According to the newspaper, the 188-kilometer stage is scheduled for Sunday, September 19, 2027 - the stage 15 of the race.
Familiar route
Interestingly, this design happens to - for the most part - copy a similar stage done at the 1991 Tour de France. And that's a special day in the history of Spanish cycling since it was there that Miguel Indurain first claimed the yellow jersey, which he would only rarely let go of across the next five editions.
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For Vuelta, this will be the first time in four years that the center of action moves to France. In 2023, organizers prepared a short, but packed stage passing Aubisque and Spandelles, only to finish on Col du Tourmalet. It was a day of Jumbo-Visma's massive triumph with Jonas Vingegaard taking stage victory, red jersey Sepp Kuss in second, and Primoz Roglic in third.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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