Stages & Profiles Vuelta a Burgos 2026 - Two brutal mountain stages headline pre-Vuelta test
CyclingFriday, 31 July 2026 at 21:30
The 2026 Vuelta a Burgos will take place from the 4th to the 8th of August. The Spanish race is one of the single biggest preparation races towards the Vuelta a España and will feature several stages where the climbers will be testing their form. We take a look at its profiles.
The race was first held in 1946 and was won by Bernado Capó. The race took place for two years and then from 1948 to 1980 there was no racing. Upon its return, many of Spain's professionals won in the Spanish stage-race, well known for being a preparation race for the Vuelta a España, due to the calendar proximity and location.
Alex Zulle, Tony Rominger and Laurent Jalabert were some of the winners still in the 20th century outside of the 'locals'; whilst in this century the likes of Alejandro Valverde, Joaquim Rodriguez, Samuel Sánchez, Alberto Contador and Mikel Landa all cemented their name in its palmarès.
Nairo Quintana, Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic have also done it, whilst in 2025 it was Isaac del Toro who was crowned the overall winner.
| Stage | Start | Finish | Distance | Type |
| 1 | Gumiel de Izán | Burgos (Castillo) | 165.0 km | Hilly |
| 2 | Arcos de la Llana | Pineda de la Sierra | 178.0 km | Mountainous |
| 3 | Merindad de Montija | Espinosa de los Monteros (Corconte) | 184.0 km | Mountainous |
| 4 | Palazuelos de Muñó | Briviesca | 178.0 km | Flat |
| 5 | Caleruega | Lagunas de Neila | 137.0 km | Mountainous |
Profile stage 1: Gumiel de Izán - Burgos (Castillo)
Gumiel de Izán - Burgos (Castillo), 165 kilometers
The race begins in Gumiel de Izán and the first stage, as usual, finishes in the Burgos castle. This is a stage for the sprinters and puncheurs, with a mostly flat profile but a few hilltops in the final kilometers - the latter coinciding with the finish line.
The stage will be a long build-up towards the entrance to the climb towards the Castillo, one that is 900 meters long at 6%. It is a short effort, quite explosive, and doesn't rule out the sprinters.
However the battle for positioning can prove costly for some; whilst the climb is often attacked all-out right from the base, making position and legs on the day often the key to take the win.
Profile stage 2: Arcos de la Llana - Pineda de la Siera
Arcos de la Llana - Pineda de la Siera, 178 kilometers
The second stage of the race features the 'rompe piernas' roads, the constant up-and-down throughout the day, which will then lead towards a summit finish. Once again, it will all be about that final climb, but this time it's longer.
An effort that some puncheurs can thrive on, but mostly the overall classification contenders will be near the front. Time can be won or lost in Pineda de la Siera, a 3.4-kilometer long climb at 7.7%.
Profile stage 3: Merindad de Montija - Espinosa de los Monteros
Merindad de Montija - Espinosa de los Monteros, 184 kilometers
Stage 3 is the novelty of the race. Starting in Merindad de Montija, there will be seven categorized climbs on the day. However only one is an actual climb, most are just small hilltops through the Spanish countryside.
The riders will have a long descent leading the riders into Espinosa de los Monteros. On the way, the toughest climb of the race, where the overall classification can be decided.
The ascent to the Puerto del Escudo is 7 kilometers long at 9% average gradient, a climb that is very constant, steep and features almost no corners - one that will truly make the difference.
Profile stage 4: Palazuelos de Muñó - Briviesca
Palazuelos de Muñó - Briviesca, 178 kilometers
Stage 4 is the sprinters' one true opportunity in this race, although it won't be an easy day. With a few hilltops near the start in Palazuelo de Muñó, large gaps opened in the overall classification, and a few rolling hills throughout the day, we might see a strong group going up the road and having favourable terrain.
The riders move towards Briviesca, but before the finish there is a slight ascent that is 3 kilometers long and ends only with 2 to go. You can't call it a climb, but it will help put some riders to the limit and then make a difference towards the bunch sprint.
Profile stage 5: Caleruega - Lagunas de Neila
Caleruega - Lagunas de Neila, 137 kilometers
The final stage of the race starts off in Caleruega and takes the riders up to familiar ground. Once again there will be plenty small ascents before the final big effort.
Mainly, it will be the 3.3-kilometer long Alto de Rozavientos which averages almost 10%. This climb ends with just only over 21 kilometers to go, but most likely attacks aren't going to happen there as the peloton will prepare towards the final climb.
After a short stage of only 137 kilometers, the peloton goes up Lagunas de Neila once again. Unnoficially, the climb is longer; officially its 6.4 kilometers long at 9% - but with some ramps that are significantly steeper. The GC will be sealed when the riders cross the finish line, but only then.
List of winners Vuelta a Burgos
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd |
| 1946 | Bernardo Capó | Senén Mesa | Víctor Ruiz |
| 1947 | Bernardo Ruiz | Manuel Rodríguez | Bernardo Capó |
| 1948–1980 | — Not held — | ||
| 1981 | Faustino Rupérez | Eulalio García | José Enrique Cima |
| 1982 | José Luis Laguía | Ángel Ocaña | José Luis Navarro |
| 1983 | Ángel de las Heras | Felipe Yáñez | Eduardo Chozas |
| 1984 | Federico Echave | Faustino Rupérez | Celestino Prieto |
| 1985 | José Recio | Reimund Dietzen | Celestino Prieto |
| 1986 | Marino Lejarreta | Iñaki Gastón | Anselmo Fuerte |
| 1987 | Marino Lejarreta | Ángel Arroyo | Francisco Antequera |
| 1988 | Marino Lejarreta | Enrique Aja | Laudelino Cubino |
| 1989 | Francisco Antequera | Pedro Muñoz | Pello Ruiz Cabestany |
| 1990 | Marino Lejarreta | Charly Mottet | Miguel Indurain |
| 1991 | Pedro Delgado | Pedro Delgado | Stephan Joho |
| 1992 | Alex Zülle | Raúl Alcalá | Laurent Jalabert |
| 1993 | Laudelino Cubino | Francisque Teyssier | Erik Zabel |
| 1994 | Armand de las Cuevas | Robert Millar | Samuele Schiavina |
| 1995 | Laurent Dufaux | François Simon | Laurent Dufaux |
| 1996 | Tony Rominger | José María Jiménez | Nicola Minali |
| 1997 | Laurent Jalabert | Jon Odriozola | Abraham Olano |
| 1998 | Abraham Olano | José María Jiménez | Andrei Tchmil |
| 1999 | Abraham Olano | Stefano Casagranda | Abraham Olano |
| 2000 | Leonardo Piepoli | Leonardo Piepoli | Pascal Hervé |
| 2001 | Juan Miguel Mercado | José Luis Rubiera | Óscar Freire |
| 2002 | Francisco Mancebo | Alessandro Bertolini | Salvatore Commesso |
| 2003 | Pablo Lastras | Dave Bruylandts | Dave Bruylandts |
| 2004 | Alejandro Valverde | Alejandro Valverde | Alejandro Valverde |
| 2005 | Juan Carlos Domínguez | Luis Pérez Romero | Igor Astarloa |
| 2006 | Iban Mayo | Sergio Ghisalberti | Carlos Torrent |
| 2007 | Juan Mauricio Soler | Vasil Kiryienka | Alejandro Valverde |
| 2008 | Xabier Zandio | Juan José Cobo | Yauheni Hutarovich |
| 2009 | Alejandro Valverde | Serafín Martínez | Alejandro Valverde |
| 2010 | Samuel Sánchez | José Toribio | Samuel Sánchez |
| 2011 | Joaquim Rodríguez | Mikel Landa | Joaquim Rodríguez |
| 2012 | Daniel Moreno | Sergio Pardilla | Daniel Moreno |
| 2013 | Nairo Quintana | David Arroyo | Anthony Roux |
| 2014 | Nairo Quintana | Daniel Moreno | Janez Brajkovič |
| 2015 | Rein Taaramäe | Michele Scarponi | Daniel Moreno |
| 2016 | Alberto Contador | Ben Hermans | Sergio Pardilla |
| 2017 | Mikel Landa | Enric Mas | David de la Cruz |
| 2018 | Iván Sosa | Miguel Ángel López | David de la Cruz |
| 2019 | Iván Sosa | Óscar Rodríguez | Richard Carapaz |
| 2020 | Remco Evenepoel | Mikel Landa | João Almeida |
| 2021 | Mikel Landa | Fabio Aru | Mark Padun |
| 2022 | Pavel Sivakov | João Almeida | Carlos Rodríguez |
| 2023 | Primož Roglič | Aleksandr Vlasov | Adam Yates |
| 2024 | Sepp Kuss | Max Poole | Finn Fisher-Black |
| 2025 | Isaac del Toro | Lorenzo Fortunato | Léo Bisiaux |
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- ouch! Let's hope he recovers in time for a successful Vuelta, but I'm going to assume that he's not going to be at the level he wishes or needs to compete with, say, Pogačar (by now I assume he's going).RidesHills31-07-2026
- go wout!Crashjames31-07-2026
- Alec Segaert is present, so on stage 1 there is always a chance of a disruption of the sprint
Rafionain-Glas31-07-2026 - I'm a fan and hurts me to have to say - this is just plain stupid of both him and the team! “We may have misunderstood the Tour a bit this year,” Vingegaard said following his withdrawal. “We made me better on the longer climbs. But it could well be that we should have realised I needed to be a bit more explosive and look more closely at the route.''Cyclingsbestfan31-07-2026
- LOL passing men is no significant achievement for elite female cyclists unless they are actually prosRafionain-Glas31-07-2026
- Visma's Vuelta gifting was certainly complicated, with JV having almost wiped out Kuss's lead before a public outcry led to Visma's decision to hold back. But Jonas seemed fine with letting almost victory go.Hills3331-07-2026
- I can read, and am responding to another comment or, dumbdevilCrashjames31-07-2026
- imo the pogs gifting is way obvious... Visma riders obeyed team orders even though Kuss deserved his victory with Roglic having a sook.
Davide31-07-2026 - yup.OCexile31-07-2026
- I'm one of those who really hopes Pog is clean, as he has real (and entertaining) skills like attacking at just the right moment to beat Carapaz and Martinez on Alpe d'Huez, taking just the right line to pull away on the descent on Stage 6, crashing in such a way that he can carry on and win, or avoiding crashing over a bidon. For me, the real moment of temptation to boost performance in some way would surely be when a rider is feeling desperate (whether to win again or simply not crack); and we might not be aware of such an inner struggle.Hills3331-07-2026
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