News
The Tour officially changes its Tarragona–Barcelona stage to avoid Collserola
The arrival of the Tour de France in Barcelona will indeed change at last. The race organisers have accepted the Govern's request and will modify the final section of the second stage, scheduled between Tarragona and Barcelona on 5 July, to avoid passing through Parc Natural de Collserola because of the African swine fever outbreak.
The change responds to health restrictions that have been active in Collserola for months, following the detection of numerous cases among the wild boar population. The Generalitat de Catalunya argued that allowing the Tour to pass through this area could generate massive gatherings of the public and vehicles in areas where access restrictions and epidemiological control work are currently in place.
The new route removes the passage through Santa Creu d’Olorda and completely changes the entry into Barcelona. From kilometre 123, the peloton will leave Molins de Rei behind and continue along the N-340 to reach Plaça Espanya, avoiding Collserola and entering the city via Les Corts. The stage will also reduce its total distance, from the 182.4 kilometres initially planned to 168.4.
With this adjustment, municipalities such as L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Esplugues de Llobregat gain prominence within the final route. The institutions involved have argued that the priority was to alter the original stage “as little as possible” and ensure that the whole route could have spectators present without jeopardising health measures.
The modification also changes part of the sporting symbolism of the day. The race will no longer cross one of the best-known cycling landmarks in the metropolitan area, although it will retain the explosive finish at Montjuïc, where one of the great moments of the Catalan Grand Départ is expected.
The case reflects the extent to which health and environmental management already shapes the organisation of major international events. The Government also recalled that this is not the first time the Tour has adapted a route for health reasons, and argued that the change makes it possible to preserve both safety and the festive atmosphere around the race.
The Serra de Collserola Natural Park has become one of the main centres for African swine fever control in Catalonia. Since late 2025, the authorities have imposed access restrictions and strengthened surveillance measures after detecting hundreds of cases in wild boar. Although the virus does not affect humans, it does pose a major threat to the pork sector and to environmental management in the metropolitan area, requiring sports, recreational activities and mass events to be adapted.