The 2026 edition of the Tour de France promises drama and spectacle, returning to Montmartre for the grand finale while challenging riders with two punishing stage finishes at the iconic Alpe d’Huez.
After the resounding success of this year’s final stage, organisers have opted to bring the peloton through the Butte Montmartre and past the Sacré-Cœur basilica once more, injecting fresh excitement into the traditionally processional Paris finale. Tens of thousands of fans are expected to line the streets to witness the climactic showdown.
The 113th Tour, beginning on July 4 with a team time trial in Barcelona, spans 3,333 kilometres across France’s five mountain ranges, the Pyrenees, Massif Central, Jura, Vosges and Alps. Riders will tackle eight mountain stages, including five summit finishes.
“The climb to Alpe d’Huez will be revealing its two sides for the first time, making it very possible that the deck could be reshuffled over these two days,” said race director Christian Prudhomme. The ascent via the Col de Sarenne, scheduled 24 hours before the Paris finish, adds a new layer of tactical complexity to the race.
Also read: Tour de France returns to UK in 2027, starting in Edinburgh
Sprinters will find several opportunities in the early stages, while the only individual time trial takes place on Stage 16 against the backdrop of Lake Geneva. Tadej Pogacar, a four-time champion and one of cycling’s leading talents, has the chance to join Eddy Merckx, Miguel Induráin, Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as five-time winners of the sport’s most prestigious race.
Tour de France Femmes set for challenging route
The women’s Tour de France, featuring nine stages and including the formidable Mont Ventoux climb, will begin on August 1 with a circuit around Lausanne, Switzerland. Covering 1,175 kilometres, the longest since the race’s 2022 revival, the competition promises a stern test of endurance and strategy.
French rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt, who triumphed on her first attempt this year, will face a 21-kilometre time trial in Dijon, before tackling Stage 6’s punishing 15.7km ascent of Mont Ventoux. The race will conclude with two stages in Nice, featuring four ascents of the Col d’Èze and a dramatic finish on the Promenade des Anglais.
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