The queen stage of O Gran Camiño 2026 will take place in the province of Ourense and will link the towns of Xinzo de Limia and Xunqueira de Espadanedo on April 17, finishing with a spectacular and decisive summit finish at Alto de Meda.
This was announced on Wednesday by the race organizers at an event held at the impressive Cistercian monastery of Xunqueira de Espadanedo, which also served to renew the invaluable support of the Ourense Provincial Council for Galicia’s major professional stage race.
It will be the fourth stage of this edition and, while full details have yet to be revealed, it will feature a “very demanding route” with a mountaintop finish and is “expected to be decisive” for the overall classification.
“The most rewarding thing about creating an event of this level is having the autonomy and the ability to come to places like this,” said the OGC director and CEO of EME Sports, Ezequiel Mosquera, during the event. He praised the “countless orographic virtues of Ourense,” as well as its landscapes and roads. “You only have to bring people to witness the greatest show in the world, which is road cycling,” he added.
The head of O Gran Camiño thanked all those involved for their commitment to a project that uses a sporting competition “as an excuse to showcase the territory,” especially rural areas, since “the great appeal of cycling” lies in its ability to reach places where “it is very difficult to bring other high-level sports.”
The starting town for this fourth stage will be Xinzo de Limia, a municipality “with a strong sporting tradition” in cycling, closely linked to its local standout Carlos Canal. This was highlighted by the town’s Sports Councillor, Cristina Campero, who welcomed the return of the “queen of stages” to Xinzo and pledged full support to ensure it “continues to be a benchmark.”
Meanwhile, the mayor of Xunqueira, Pablo Graña, applauded the race for continuing to “highlight Galicia’s territory” and for “remembering rural areas,” predicting that this would be “one of the most spectacular finishes” of OGC. “You’ve chosen very well,” he said.
A “MAGNIFICENT” SETTING
Finally, the president of the Ourense Provincial Council, Luis Menor, reaffirmed his support for O Gran Camiño, an event that “fits perfectly” with the institution’s sports strategy, which promotes sport as a healthy activity, as competition, and as a tool for “territorial promotion.”
“We support grassroots sport and we need it to be inspired by top-level events like O Gran Camiño,” said Menor, who highlighted the race’s international reach and its ability to showcase a province that is “to a large extent unknown beyond central Galicia.” He also praised the response of Ourense fans, widely demonstrated in previous editions.
For Luis Menor, this stage provides a “magnificent setting” that will leave spectators “truly impressed,” and he expressed hope that it will serve as a prelude to recognition of the Ribeira Sacra as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
