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The municipality will host the start of this cycling race on August 30th, which ends at the Alto de Aitana.
Villajoyosa will host the start of stage 9 of the 81st edition of the Vuelta a España cycling race, which will reach the Sierra de Aitana mountain range on Sunday, August 30. The town is finalizing all the details for the organization of this event, which will bring together thousands of people, including athletes, fans, residents, and visitors.
Mayor Marcos Zaragoza; the Councillor for Sports, Peyo Lloret; the Councillor for Citizen Security, Jaime Santamaría; the Councillor for Tourism, Rosa Llorca; the Councillor for Beaches and Youth, Carlos Soler; and the Councillor for Urban Scene, Ana Alcázar, visited the Centro beach promenade this Friday, along with technicians from the different areas involved, to finalize the last organizational and logistical details needed for a sporting event of this magnitude.
Mayor Marcos Zaragoza explained that “Villajoyosa is, for the first time, the starting point for one of the most impressive and challenging stages of the Vuelta a España cycling race. We have everything organized to ensure that the start and the route through the municipality have everything necessary and meet all safety requirements and measures.” The mayor added that “we are going to be the protagonists of a unique event that will take the name of Villajoyosa beyond our borders and put us on the map of cities focused on promoting sports.”
Stage 9 will start on the beach, from the promenade of the Centro beach in Villajoyosa, on August 30th and will cover 187 kilometers with 5,100 meters of elevation gain in a stage that promises to be the toughest and most explosive of the 2026 edition with six mountain passes.
The cycling peloton will make a neutral start from the beachfront and will travel along Costera la Mar, Avenida País Valencià, Calle Barranquet, Avenida Benidorm, Calle Colón, the roundabout on Avenida del Puerto, the road that crosses the Secanet area to connect with the CV-759 towards Finestrat.
The Councillor for Sports, Peyo Lloret, stated that “on August 30th, Villajoyosa will be the epicenter of cycling. The stage will travel through several streets of the town, from where residents and visitors will be able to watch the cyclists pass by in one of the stages that is sure to mark a turning point in this cycling competition.”
The councilor for the area explained that the organization of this sporting event “entails that we have to restrict access to some streets and areas from Friday, August 28, so we apologize to the residents and ask for their understanding during those days.”
The cycling teams’ paddock area will be located in the area of l’Antoneta park and Méndez Núñez street, so the passage and parking of vehicles will be prohibited from Friday, August 28, until the end and dismantling of the event.
In addition, the streets along the route of the stage on August 30 will also be closed to traffic, as well as some adjacent streets. The Villajoyosa City Council will announce the schedule and a complete list of affected roads in the coming days.
Stage 9 of La Vuelta
Stage 9 of the very high mountains will be held on August 30 and will cover 187 kilometers from Villajoyosa to Finestrat, La Nucia, Polop, Callosa d’en Sarrià, Bolulla, Tàrbena, Parcent, Orba, Tormos, Sagra, Pego, L’Atzúbia, Benirrama (Vall de Gallinera), Benialí (Vall de Gallinera), Alcalà de la Jovada (La Vall d’Alcalà), Tollos, Fageca, Quatretondeta, Gorga Benilloba, Benasau, Alcoleja, Penàguila, Benifallim, La Torre de les Maçanes, Relleu and Sella.
The climb to the mythical Alto de El Miserat, a first-category climb, and the Puerto de Tudons, a second-category climb, will be two of the key moments of the race, which will reach its climax during the ascent to the Sierra de Aitana, one of the historic peaks of La Vuelta that returns after a decade of absence, precisely in the year that marks the 25th anniversary of its debut in the competition.
