UK viewers can watch the 2026 Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa through TNT Sports, with live streaming available on HBO Max.
The race takes place on Saturday 1 August 2026, six days after the Tour de France finishes in Paris. The 221.1km route starts and finishes in Donostia-San Sebastián and includes seven categorised climbs with more than 4,150 metres of elevation gain.
TNT Sports currently lists the race as starting at 10:13 BST. The precise television channel and separate live broadcast window have not yet been confirmed, so viewers should check the TNT Sports programme guide and HBO Max schedule closer to race day.
Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa 2026 UK viewing details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Race | Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa |
| Date | Saturday 1 August 2026 |
| UK television | TNT Sports |
| UK live stream | HBO Max |
| Race start | 10:13 BST |
| Expected finish | Approximately 15:30-16:00 BST |
| Free UK live coverage | None currently announced |
| Distance | 221.1km |
| Total climbing | More than 4,150 metres |
| Start and finish | Boulevard, Donostia-San Sebastián |
The finish time remains an estimate until the organisers publish the complete race timetable. With more than 220km and a succession of difficult Basque climbs, the winning move is likely to arrive during the middle or latter part of the afternoon in the UK.
The complete course is covered in the Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa 2026 route guide.
Where can I watch Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa in the UK?
TNT Sports is the main television option for UK viewers.
Subscribers can access its channels through platforms including Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV, depending on their package. The specific TNT Sports channel may not be confirmed until the wider live sport schedule for Saturday 1 August has been finalised.
The race is already included in TNT Sports’ 2026 cycling calendar, with the 221.1km men’s road race listed for a 10:13 BST start.
That time refers to the race rather than necessarily the beginning of the television programme. As with many one-day races, the live broadcast may join after the riders have completed part of the route.
The ProCyclingUK men’s cycling TV guide hub brings together viewing information for the other major races on the calendar.
Is Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa on HBO Max?
HBO Max is the streaming home of TNT Sports cycling coverage in the UK.
Viewers should be able to find the race within the sports or live cycling section of the app on Saturday morning. The stream can be watched on supported smart televisions, computers, phones and tablets.
A standard entertainment-only HBO Max subscription may not include TNT Sports. Viewers need the relevant sports access, either purchased directly or provided through an eligible television, broadband or mobile package.
It is worth signing in and checking access before race day. Waiting until the riders reach Jaizkibel is not the ideal moment to discover that an account still needs to be activated.
Photo Credit: GettyIs the race still available on discovery+?
Discovery+ is no longer the main streaming destination for TNT Sports cycling in the UK.
Warner Bros. Discovery moved its UK sports streaming coverage to HBO Max in March 2026. Viewers who previously followed the Classics and stage races through discovery+ should now use HBO Max.
Some customers who receive TNT Sports through a separate provider may need to activate their HBO Max access before they can use the stream.
The same viewing arrangement applies across other major events, including the men’s Tour de Pologne 2026, which begins two days after San Sebastián.
What time does the 2026 Donostia Klasikoa start in the UK?
The race is currently listed to begin at 10:13 BST.
Spain will be using Central European Summer Time, placing the Basque Country one hour ahead of the UK. The local race start is therefore scheduled for 11:13 CEST.
The event begins on the Boulevard in central Donostia-San Sebastián. There may be a short neutralised section before the official racing starts, so the first attacks may take place slightly later than the published departure time.
A full start-to-finish stream has not yet been confirmed. Viewers mainly interested in the decisive part of the race are unlikely to need to be watching from 10:13 BST, although the opening kilometres should determine the make-up of the breakaway.
What time will UK television coverage begin?
TNT Sports has not yet published a separate UK programme start time.
The current listing shows the race start rather than a confirmed studio or television window. The final channel and coverage time should become clearer during the week before the event.
Recent editions of San Sebastián have usually been shown from within the race rather than through a complete broadcast of every kilometre. That often means viewers see the main breakaway established before coverage begins.
A practical viewing plan is:
- Check HBO Max and the TNT Sports schedule from approximately 12:30 BST
- Aim to be watching by 13:30 BST
- Join no later than 14:00 BST to follow the decisive climbs
The route can begin fragmenting well before the final ascent of Murgil Tontorra. Waiting until the last 20km risks missing the attack that decides the race.
Photo Credit: GettyWhat is the best time to tune in?
Viewers interested primarily in the favourites should aim to begin watching by 13:30 or 14:00 BST.
The opening half gradually weakens the peloton through repeated climbing. The race should become more selective as it returns towards the coast and reaches the familiar sequence of Jaizkibel, Erlaitz and Murgil Tontorra.
Watch from the start for the breakaway battle
The opening kilometres should produce a determined fight to establish the day’s escape.
Teams without one of the main favourites will want riders ahead before the route becomes more selective. A strong breakaway can remain relevant deep into the race, particularly if the leading teams hesitate over who should control the gap.
The first part of the route includes Kalbario, Azkarate, Urraki and Alkiza. None is likely to decide the winner alone, but together they create a demanding race long before the famous final climbs.
Watching early is most useful for viewers interested in team tactics, the composition of the escape and which squads have already been forced to chase.
Watch from around 13:30 BST for the favourites
The final two hours should contain the main battle among the strongest climbers and puncheurs.
Jaizkibel remains the symbolic climb of the Klasikoa. It is not necessarily the point where the winning attack will be made, but it should reduce the group, expose weak teams and force contenders to use important domestiques.
Erlaitz follows as a steeper and more immediately selective test. Riders who struggle there may not regain contact before Murgil Tontorra.
The beginner’s guide to the men’s Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa explains how the climbs work together and why the race is rarely controlled in the same way as a Grand Tour stage.
Watch the final hour for Murgil Tontorra
Anyone interested only in the result should still tune in before the race reaches Murgil Tontorra.
The climb contains steep concrete ramps and comes close enough to the finish for one committed attack to survive. It often leaves too little time for dropped riders to organise an effective pursuit.
The descent back towards Donostia is also important. A rider who creates a small advantage must balance speed against risk before the course reaches Ondarreta, La Concha and the Boulevard.
A small group may still regroup after the summit, but the eventual winner is likely to emerge from the riders who remain at the front over Murgil Tontorra.
Is Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa free to watch in the UK?
No free-to-air UK broadcast has currently been announced.
The main legal viewing options require access to TNT Sports or HBO Max. There is no confirmed BBC, ITV, Channel 4 or Channel 5 broadcast.
Domestic coverage may be available through broadcasters in Spain or the Basque Country, but those streams are licensed for their own territories. UK viewers should use the official TNT Sports and HBO Max coverage.
Short highlights, interviews and finishing clips are likely to appear through TNT Sports, the organiser and competing teams after the race.
Can I watch the race on demand?
HBO Max normally provides replays of TNT Sports cycling coverage after the live broadcast.
The exact replay window may vary, but viewers should be able to find the race through the cycling section after the finish. The event page may also allow viewers to restart the stream from the beginning while the race is still live.
Anyone planning to watch later should avoid cycling websites, social media notifications and team accounts if they want to preserve the result.
What is Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa?
Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa is a men’s UCI WorldTour one-day race held in the Basque Country.
The 2026 edition is the 45th running and takes place on Saturday 1 August. Its 1.UWT classification places it at the highest level of men’s professional one-day racing.
It is not one of cycling’s five Monuments, but it sits among the most prestigious races immediately below them. Its winners list includes Grand Tour champions, world champions, leading climbers and some of the best one-day riders of their generation.
The race’s history and evolution are covered in a brief history of Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa.
Why is it called Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa?
Donostia is the Basque name for San Sebastián, while Klasikoa means Classic.
The bilingual name reflects the identity of the city and the wider Gipuzkoa region. English-language coverage often calls it the Clásica San Sebastián, but the official branding places the Basque language at the centre of the event.
That local identity is one of the reasons the race feels different from many other WorldTour one-day events. Cycling is deeply embedded in the Basque Country, and large crowds regularly gather on the climbs even when the weather is poor.
The region’s wider appeal for riders and visitors is explored in our guide to why San Sebastián and Bilbao work so well for a cycling trip.
What does the 2026 route look like?
The 2026 race covers 221.1km and includes more than 4,150 metres of climbing.
It starts on the Boulevard before heading through Gipuzkoa and returning towards Donostia for the decisive final sequence. Seven categorised climbs make this a race for climbers, puncheurs and strong all-rounders rather than conventional sprinters.
The classified climbs are:
- Kalbario
- Azkarate
- Urraki
- Alkiza
- Jaizkibel
- Erlaitz
- Murgil Tontorra
The early climbs gradually reduce the number of riders capable of influencing the finale. Jaizkibel begins the serious selection, Erlaitz increases the pressure and Murgil Tontorra provides the clearest platform for the winning move.
The route rarely produces a large bunch sprint. Victory normally comes from a solo attacker or a small group containing riders who can climb, descend and still sprint after more than five hours of racing.
Who won Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa in 2025?
Giulio Ciccone won the 2025 edition.
The Italian attacked on Murgil Tontorra and maintained his advantage through the descent into Donostia. He finished nine seconds ahead of Jan Christen, with Maxim Van Gils completing the podium.
The result demonstrated why waiting for the Boulevard can be dangerous. Ciccone created separation on the final steep climb and did not give the chasing group enough time to reorganise.
The defending champion should again be well suited to the 2026 profile if he returns. The longer route and additional accumulated climbing reward the same combination of endurance and explosive climbing.
Why the race is worth watching after the Tour de France
San Sebastián provides the first major WorldTour one-day test after the Tour.
Some riders arrive carrying exceptional condition from three weeks in France. Others are physically depleted or mentally ready for a break. Domestiques who spent July protecting a team leader may suddenly receive the freedom to chase a major victory.
Fresh riders also use the race as a bridge towards the Tour de Pologne, La Vuelta a España and the late-season Classics.
That creates an unpredictable field.
Tour riders have the endurance required for a race lasting more than five hours, but they may lack freshness. Riders who skipped the Tour have had more time to prepare, but do not always possess the same racing sharpness.
Unlike a Grand Tour mountain stage, there is no classification to defend. Teams can sacrifice riders, attack from distance and take risks because only the result in Donostia matters.
Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa 2026 UK viewing summary
UK viewers can watch the race through TNT Sports and HBO Max on Saturday 1 August.
The race is listed to start at 10:13 BST, although the exact television channel and live broadcast window have not yet been confirmed. The finish is expected at approximately 15:30 to 16:00 BST.
HBO Max is now the UK streaming home of TNT Sports cycling. Discovery+ is no longer the main app for this coverage.
Viewers interested in the decisive section should aim to tune in by 13:30 or 14:00 BST. That should provide enough time to follow the selection through Jaizkibel and Erlaitz before the likely winning attack on Murgil Tontorra.
