Not everybody remembers that Barcelona hosted two World Cycling Championships in Montjuic a few years ago.
Now Montjuic is again in the cycling map, as Tour de France 2026 will have Le Gran Depart in Barcelona, and 2 stages (stage 1, Barcelona-Barcelona team Time trial, and stage 2 Tarragona-Barcelona) will end in Montjuic, the Olimpic mountain. Curious to know that even if the Olympic stadium is in Montjuic (that’s why we call it Olympic mountain), the Cycling route in 1992 did not finish in Montjuic, as it took place out of the city, in Penedes region, close to Sant Sadurní d’Anoia.
Montjuic (jewish mountain in catalan language) is a sharp mountain close to the sea, in Barcelona. It has been stage ending many times in Volta a Catalunya, and also in Vuelta a España. When the Tour de France arrived at Barcelona years 1967 and 2009, the finish line was in Montjuic. The winner in 2009 was Thor Hushovd and the winner in 1967 was Pérez Francés.
Montjuic has always been linked with cycling. Worth mentioning that during many years (1965 to 2007), the last race in the professional calendar was the so called “Escalada a Montjuic”, a unique race held on the sunday morning after Giro di Lombardia. It was a kind of criterium with 2 races, a climbing time trial and a regular race. The winner was the cyclist with the least time considering both races.
The Worlds in 1973
It was in 1973 the first time that we had the Worlds at home. Fantastic race, with a royal breakaway including the best cyclists in those years: Eddy Merckx, Felice Gimondi, Luis Ocaña and Freddy Maertens. Hard to believe, the belgian team did not make it (even if it had 2 riders in the breakaway), and the final winner was Felice Gimondi. Italians still remember that epic win.
The Worlds in 1984
Second time was in 1984, again a very tough race with plenty of climbing. The climb to El Castell de Montjuic is the steep key section. And in one of those the belgian Claude Criquielion attacks and wins the championship surprisingly. Criquilion had been a very good rider with good positions in important races, but not that good to be expected to win. Same with the other 2 riders in the podium: the italian Claudio Corti (a reputed domestique of the leader Francesco Moser) and the canadian Steve Bauer. Bauer had just turned professional cyclist a few days ago, after the Olympics in which he finished second. This race changed completely Criquielion career, turning him into a big champion from then on.
If you ever visit Barcelona, now you have another reason to visit Montjuic, the Olympic mountain… And also the mountain where the Cycling Worlds.
