Monaco to Host the Start of the 2026 Spanish Vuelta

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Monaco Principality during the Monaco Yacht Show, one of the most prestigious pleasure boat shows in the world, highlighting hundreds of yachts for the luxury yachting industry in port of Monaco, September 25, 2019. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Monaco Principality during the Monaco Yacht Show, one of the most prestigious pleasure boat shows in the world, highlighting hundreds of yachts for the luxury yachting industry in port of Monaco, September 25, 2019. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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Monaco to Host the Start of the 2026 Spanish Vuelta

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Monaco Principality during the Monaco Yacht Show, one of the most prestigious pleasure boat shows in the world, highlighting hundreds of yachts for the luxury yachting industry in port of Monaco, September 25, 2019. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Monaco Principality during the Monaco Yacht Show, one of the most prestigious pleasure boat shows in the world, highlighting hundreds of yachts for the luxury yachting industry in port of Monaco, September 25, 2019. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

The 2026 Spanish Vuelta will start in Monaco, organizers announced on Thursday.

The grand tour’s first stage will take place entirely in the tiny principality known for its iconic Formula 1 event. The second stage of the three-week race will also start in Monaco, The AP reported.

This year's Vuelta which is scheduled to start in August will begin in Lisbon. The Portuguese capital was the first foreign city to host a Vuelta start back in 1997. The Vuelta has also had starts in the Netherlands and France.

This summer, Monaco will host the start of the final stage of this summer’s Tour, which will be held outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a clash with the Olympics.

Monaco also provided the start of the 2009 Tour de France.



China’s Huang and Sheng Win First Gold of Paris Games at Air Rifle Mixed Team Event

 China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao pose on the podium after winning the gold of the shooting 10m air rifle mixed team during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Chateauroux Shooting Centre on July 27, 2024. (AFP)
China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao pose on the podium after winning the gold of the shooting 10m air rifle mixed team during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Chateauroux Shooting Centre on July 27, 2024. (AFP)
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China’s Huang and Sheng Win First Gold of Paris Games at Air Rifle Mixed Team Event

 China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao pose on the podium after winning the gold of the shooting 10m air rifle mixed team during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Chateauroux Shooting Centre on July 27, 2024. (AFP)
China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao pose on the podium after winning the gold of the shooting 10m air rifle mixed team during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Chateauroux Shooting Centre on July 27, 2024. (AFP)

China's Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao won the first gold medal of the Paris Games on Saturday in the 10 meters air rifle mixed team event.

Keum Ji-hyeon and Park Ha-jun of South Korea claimed silver and Alexandra Le and Islam Satpayev of Kazakhstan were awarded bronze.

Three years after Yang Qian and Yang Haoran won the gold in Tokyo, compatriots Huang and Sheng made sure China retained it.

The reigning world champions topped the qualifying round ahead of their Korean rivals at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

The gold medal round was not really a cakewalk though despite them racing to a 14-8 lead after the first 11 shots.

Keum and Park staged a late comeback to reduce the gap at 14-12 but the Chinese pair prevailed 16-12 in the end.

Le and Satpayev gave Kazakhstan their first medal of the Paris Games with a 17-5 romp against the German pair of Anna Janssen and Maximilian Ulbrich.