Stage Preview
Linked articleStage 3: Gruissan – Aude to Font Romeu | Vuelta a España 2026 Preview
The Vuelta a España 2026 stage 3 preview begins where the Mediterranean coast gives way to the foothills of the Pyrenees. The 166.7-kilometer route from Gruissan in the Aude department to Font Romeu marks the first proper summit finish of this year's race, and the first day the general classification will begin to take shape under the weight of altitude and gradient. Gruissan sits on the edge of the Languedoc lagoons, a town of salt pans and wind-scoured beaches. The opening kilometers roll west through vineyard country before the road begins its long tilt toward the mountains. By the time the race crosses into the Pyrénées-Orientales, the terrain has shifted…
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