Tour de France Tour de France 2026 route rumours

[houtdffan]

No it wouldn't.

that absolutely would create a balanced route.

I dont think you know just how hard those stages are

 

[tobydawq]

that absolutely would create a balanced route.

I dont think you know just how hard those stages are

No, I clearly know nothing about the sport's history.

 

[Peyroteo94]

nope

the proper TTs for a GT would be

an 8km flat prologue
an 85km flat TTT
a 70 km flat ITT
an MTT
a 40km flat to slightly rolling ITT

Balance it with 2 very hard mountain stages on the level of Morzine 1983 or Sestrieres 1992

90s were awful in terms of entertainment.

 

[YavorD]

90s were awful in terms of entertainment.

So were 00's, so were 10"s, so would be 20's if it wasn't for Vingegaard (or Pogacar for that matter).

 

[houtdffan]

90s were awful in terms of entertainment.

Far better than the world climbing championships we have today.

Pantani would never lose today. Clinic aside

 

[E_F_]

Remco is the third best climber and the best TT'er isn't he..?

 

[Breh]

Yes, still lost over a minute to Pogacar over both TT's.

The best TT'ers are still winning 95% of GT's. They also happen to be the best climbers.

 

[E_F_]

Yes, still lost over a minute to Pogacar over both TT's.

The best TT'ers are still winning 95% of GT's. They also happen to be the best climbers.

If Vingegaard and Pogacar are better TT'ers than Evenepoel, then why don't they beat him in the World's TT?

 

[AmRacer]

Remco is the third best climber and the best TT'er isn't he..?

Best flat TT'er

 

[houtdffan]

Remco is the third best climber and the best TT'er isn't he..?

he'd be the best TTer if we went back to a traditional route

 

[OlavEH]

the proper TTs for a GT would be

an 8km flat prologue
an 85km flat TTT
a 70 km flat ITT
an MTT
a 40km flat to slightly rolling ITT

Balance it with 2 very hard mountain stages on the level of Morzine 1983 or Sestrieres 1992

Sounds absolutely dreadful. You need 6 that kind of mountain stages to balance that ridiculous amount of TT.

The thing about TTT is that today the difference in team strength is bigger than in many years. You shoudn't lose 5 minutes just because you don't have a very strong team.

A suitable amount of TT would something like a 50 km of flat ITT, 30 km of rolling ITT and no more. That should be balanced with around 3-4 tough mountain stages in high mountains and 1-2 big medium mountain stages. The high mountain stages should be at least 170-180 kms or more and 4000+ meters of categorized climb. And at least a 1 or 2 stages should be designed for more long range attacks and not with the biggest climb as MTF. Even more important for the Giro since Italy have much more opportunitie for this the Tour.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

If people want to discuss TTTs in a stage race in principle rather than in a thread about the 2026 TdF, we have a thread for that.

 

[houtdffan]

Sounds absolutely dreadful. You need 6 that kind of mountain stages to balance that ridiculous amount of TT.

The thing about TTT is that today the difference in team strength is bigger than in many years. You shoudn't lose 5 minutes just because you don't have a very strong team.

A suitable amount of TT would something like a 50 km of flat ITT, 30 km of rolling ITT and no more. That should be balanced with around 3-4 tough mountain stages in high mountains and 1-2 big medium mountain stages. The high mountain stages should be at least 170-180 kms or more and 4000+ meters of categorized climb. And at least a 1 or 2 stages should be designed for more long range attacks and not with the biggest climb as MTF. Even more important for the Giro since Italy have much more opportunitie for this the Tour.

you dont think two 250km mountain stages with nearly 7,000m of climbing would balance the TTs?

 

[OlavEH]

you dont think two 250km mountain stages with nearly 7,000m of climbing would balance the TTs?

No, not 200+ km of TT, including an insanely long TTT.

 

[Netserk]

If people want to discuss TTTs in a stage race in principle rather than in a thread about the 2026 TdF, we have a thread for that.

More than one (but it would be unwise to merge them such that the poll in your thread will be removed):

Team Time Trials

What does everyone think of the TTT in a Grand Tour? Whilst it's a good spectacle, I don't like it. It gives even more advantage to those riders with strong teams, rather than the strongest rider in my eyes. You look back when Ullrich narrowly lost to Lance Armstrong in 2003, the Team Time...

forum.cyclingnews.com

Team Time trials in Grand Tours

Team Time trials in Grand Tours...what are your opinions? In or out?

forum.cyclingnews.com

Team Time Trail, in or out?

In the past I have to admit that I liked the spectacle of the TTT. If nothing else, it was fun to watch. However, after watching this years TTT and seeing the effects on GC, I have been wondering why this event is in the Tour at all? Cadel Evans is arguably one of the strongest riders in the...

forum.cyclingnews.com

A bit different, but related:

Fix or remove TTT

Options to fix the TTT (to prevent dominant teams from spoiling a good race): 1. Shorten it. A TTT that is only 25kms would sufficiently shake things up without destroying the race. 2. Use a highly technical circuit - worked a treat this time. 3. Remove "5th riders time" rule - making it...

forum.cyclingnews.com

And when it comes to ideal GT, the general discussion belongs here:

What is the perfect Grand Tour?

Since we spend the last 2-3 months just about each year on discussions related to this topic, I think it would be interesting with a more general thread on the topic. What do we excpect, and what would make us satisfied. I can start with some ideas on what it would take for me to rate a GT route...

forum.cyclingnews.com

 

[OlavEH]

Btw, regarding rumours. It would be nice with a big Ariege mountain stage. That is not ending in Plateau de Beille.

 

[ashhutch1997]

Btw, regarding rumours. It would be nice with a big Ariege mountain stage. That is not ending in Plateau de Beille.

It's been 12 years since we last had the brilliant Port de Pailhères/ Ax 3 Domaines combo. Would love to see that as a first week mtf.

 

[Sciatic]

Btw, regarding rumours. It would be nice with a big Ariege mountain stage. That is not ending in Plateau de Beille.

🙂

 

[Red Rick]

Pailheres with finish in Ax-les-Thermes >>Ax Bonascre

 

[Cookster15]

It's been 12 years since we last had the brilliant Port de Pailhères/ Ax 3 Domaines combo. Would love to see that as a first week mtf.

Has Port de Pailhères ever been used as an MTF? Could it be? I think it’s one of the hardest climbs used in the Tour. Ax 3 Domaines is only decisive because Pailhères softens them up.

 

[OlavEH]

Has Port de Pailhères ever been used as an MTF? Could it be?

No, I don't think so.

Ax 3 Domaines is only decisive because Pailhères softens them up.

Yeah. At that's what makes the combo so good. As a combo, not two separate climbs where it would be equally good to do only Pailheres.

 

[Keldergoat]

I've ridden the Pailheres, that's a friggin narrow road. Cannot imagine a stage ending there. Beautiful climb though, one of my favs out there.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Has Port de Pailhères ever been used as an MTF? Could it be? I think it’s one of the hardest climbs used in the Tour. Ax 3 Domaines is only decisive because Pailhères softens them up.

This is why it is a perfect combo. The penultime climb is way harder, perfect for long range attacks.
Sestriere or Aprica without Finestre or Mortirolo is a terrible idea.

 

[ashhutch1997]

This is why it is a perfect combo. The penultime climb is way harder, perfect for long range attacks.
Sestriere or Aprica without Finestre or Mortirolo is a terrible idea.

It's ashame Ax 3 Domaines isn't a easier like Aprica/Sestriere, then it'd be the perfect combination.

 

[Netserk]

Pailhères can be used as a MTF if climbed from Ax-les-Thermes and with the finish ~700 m from the top. The road is very narrow on the other side of the climb only from the Mijanès ski station to the top (last 6 km).

For the Tour, the only realistic uses of the climb are as either a pass when coming from Usson-les-Bains or as an uphill finish from Ax-les-Thermes. I doubt if there ever would be a bid for a downhill finish. The viable alternatives to past uses would be to climb Chioula or Envalira/Puymorens afterwards, but such uses seem a bit far-fetched unless the former is before a finish on Plateau de Beille. A Quillan finish is maybe a bit too creative, and Camurac (ski station) too small for the Tour.

Route d'Occitanie could have a finish at Camurac, and probably also at the Mijanès ski station. Maybe the very narrow Pradel could be in play there, and then you could combine that with Montsugra/Sept Frères too. If you can descend Pradel, then you can also descend Pailhères towards Mijanès, and can then do so towards Les Angles, Quillan or Prades.