Tenerife’s hopes for La Vuelta 2026 in doubt after Gran Canaria threatens withdrawal
The future of La Vuelta a España’s return to the Canary Islands has been thrown into uncertainty after the President of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, warned that the island would refuse to host stages of the race if Israel’s professional cycling team is allowed to compete.
Morales made the announcement during a pro-Palestinian rally in Las Palmas on Monday, held in protest at Israel’s actions in Gaza.
His comments came just a day after large-scale demonstrations in Madrid forced organisers to cancel the planned finale of La Vuelta 2025 in the city centre.
A long-awaited return in jeopardy
Plans for La Vuelta to return to the Canary Islands in 2026, almost 40 years after its only previous visit in 1988, have been in development for over a year. A preliminary agreement, involving the Canary Islands Government and the Cabildos of both Tenerife and Gran Canaria, envisaged the race taking place across both islands.
However, Morales has now insisted that Gran Canaria will not host the event if Israel’s team takes part. “We are not prepared to whitewash what is happening in Gaza or legitimise the State of Israel through sport or any other activity,” he said.
Impact on Tenerife
The warning puts Tenerife’s own ambitions in doubt. Without Gran Canaria, the financial burden of hosting more stages would fall heavily on Tenerife, raising questions about whether enough routes could be designed to meet La Vuelta’s sporting standards. The island’s leaders, including Cabildo president Rosa Dávila and vice-president Lope Afonso, had hoped to see a decisive stage on the slopes of Mount Teide, but this prospect now looks uncertain.
The organisers of La Vuelta, led by director Javier Guillén, cannot legally exclude any registered team; that responsibility lies with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Morales stressed that while Gran Canaria had signed a preliminary understanding with organisers months ago, “there is no final agreement in place.”
What next?
The Canary Islands Government will now have to decide whether to continue pursuing La Vuelta without Gran Canaria’s participation. For its part, Tenerife has yet to comment, but is expected to issue a response soon as negotiations move forward.
La Vuelta’s potential return was seen as a major opportunity to showcase the islands on an international stage, attract thousands of visitors, and promote cycling tourism.
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