Avenida dos Aliados will once again be the stage for the grand finale of the Volta a Portugal cycling race: the 87th edition of the race, taking place from August 5 to 16, 2026, covers 1,388 kilometers from Lisbon until it reaches the center of Porto on the final stage. Along the way, it will pass through 71 municipalities and 15 districts, including two climbs never before featured in the race.
The finish: Maia, Gaia, and Aliados
The final stage, on August 16, connects Maia to Porto over a distance of 124 km, but the real celebration begins in the city itself, with a circuit between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia that crosses the bridges over the Douro River and winds through the streets of Porto’s historic center before the final finish line on Avenida dos Aliados. This is where the winner of the yellow jersey will be announced, and with UAE Emirates confirmed for the race, this could be one of the most hotly contested finishes in recent years.
What’s the route like?
Between the start in Lisbon and the finish at Aliados, there will be 11 days on the road. Here is the complete route:
Aug. 5 — Prologue: Lisbon, 6 km (individual time trial), along the waterfront, next to the Tagus River
Aug. 6 — Stage 1: Lourinhã → Sintra (Queluz), 153 km
Aug. 7 — Stage 2: Sines → Albufeira, 177 km
Aug. 8 — Stage 3: Beja → Elvas, 180 km
Aug. 9 — Stage 4: Figueiró dos Vinhos → Covilhã (Torre), 148 km
Aug. 10 — Stage 5 (time trial): Anadia (Sangalhos Velodrome) → Águeda, 17 km
Aug. 11 — Rest day: Santa Maria da Feira
Aug. 12 — Stage 6: Santa Maria da Feira → Peso da Régua, 129 km, passing through the iconic National Road 222 in the Douro region
Aug. 13 — Stage 7: Vieira do Minho → Termas do Gerês, 147 km, with a brief detour into Spanish territory
Aug. 14 — Stage 8: Melgaço → Fafe, 166 km
Aug. 15 — Stage 9: Paredes → Mondim de Basto (Senhora da Graça), 141 km
Aug. 16 — 10th and final stage: Maia → Porto, 124 km, finishing on Avenida dos Aliados
Two mountains will decide who arrives in Porto in the lead
Toward the end, there are two mountain stages that could determine who arrives in Porto wearing the yellow jersey. In Mondim de Basto, the peloton will climb to the Santuário da Senhora da Graça twice in the same stage (something never before done in this race). The first climb goes through Carvalhais, about 9 km long with the final kilometer on a dirt road; this is followed by a descent and another climb along the usual route, all the way to the summit.
Before that, in Gerês, another unprecedented stage: a brief stretch through Spanish territory precedes a final 10-km climb to Germil, half of which is on cobblestones—a rare surface on today’s roads, but one that the organizers specifically sought out for this stage.
Who’s in charge of the organization and who could win
The Portuguese Cycling Federation, now under the leadership of Cândido Barbosa, has set the goal of internationalizing the Volta a Portugal. One of the most visible signs of this commitment is the debut of Ezequiel Mosquera—a former Spanish cyclist and director of O Gran Camino in Galicia—as race director, succeeding Joaquim Gomes.
In the peloton, the team drawing the most attention is UAE Emirates—the team of Tadej Pogačar and João Almeida—represented in this race by Portuguese rider Rui Oliveira, the Olympic madison champion at Paris 2024, alongside Iúri Leitão, joining the ten Portuguese teams competing.
To watch from home (or out and about)
The 2026 Volta a Portugal will debut live international broadcasts on HBO Max; in Portugal, anyone who wants to follow each stage can count on coverage by RTP1.
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