Tour de France Tour de France 2026 route rumours

[ashhutch1997]

Spanish Pyrenees are so much worse than the French ones that nobody misses them when they're left out. And I bet most will wish they leave them out forever after we see Cerler and Belagua next month.

I actually thought the Belgua stage in 2023 was very well designed, I think it was the only time the Port de Larrau was actually well positioned, the racing that day wasn't great.
The Port de Larrau is a beast and I'd love to see it near the end of the stage.

 

[ice&fire]

I actually thought the Belgua stage in 2023 was very well designed, I think it was the only time the Port de Larrau was actually well positioned, the racing that day wasn't great.
The Port de Larrau is a beast and I'd love to see it near the end of the stage.

Belagua this year has a cat3 KOM 50km from the finish, so in practice is unipuerto

 

[E_F_]

Belagua this year has a cat3 KOM 50km from the finish, so in practice is unipuerto

Well of course! The Vuelta must stick to its MTF-soap opera format.

 

[Ulle97]

I've a feeling we'll see 2x 50km ITTs in the Tour next year. One at the end of week 1 and 1 in week 3.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I've a feeling we'll see 2x 50km ITTs in the Tour next year. One at the end of week 1 and 1 in week 3.

I have a feeling that that‘s not gonna happen, not because it wouldn‘t make sense to do it, but because Thierry Gouvenou personally doesn‘t like time trials enough for that.

 

[E_F_]

Honestly would be a lot of fun if they managed to set up a balanced fight between Remco and Pog through loooooooong TTs and the right sorts of mountain stages.

 

[Netserk]

I think there will only be a single ITT, and while the audience should be the same for 30 km and 55 km, it will likely not be over 40 km long.

 

[nightowl]

Honestly would be a lot of fun if they managed to set up a balanced fight between Remco and Pog through loooooooong TTs and the right sorts of mountain stages.

Vingegaard flopping the stage 5 TT this year and Pogacar smashing it has probably delayed the return of proper TTs by at least a few more years. If we had a Dauphine repeat the case for more TTs to balance the race out would’ve been very strong.

 

[HashRouge]

Sounds like they'll definitely be doing the Montmartre finish again next year. It was great fun, I can see why they'd be reluctant to go back to the sprint finish in future. I think they need to put in a late sprint stage though, maybe stage 20, or you'll have all the sprinters bar green jersey dropping out before Paris.

 

[E_F_]

Vingegaard flopping the stage 5 TT this year and Pogacar smashing it has probably delayed the return of proper TTs by at least a few more years. If we had a Dauphine repeat the case for more TTs to balance the race out would’ve been very strong.

Evenepoel dropping out, probably didn't help either. If only Vingegaard's climbing and Evenepoel's TTing could be merged into one rider...

 

[Copperberg]

Evenepoel dropping out, probably didn't help either. If only Vingegaard's climbing and Evenepoel's TTing could be merged into one rider...

That rider already exists and his name is Pogacar...hehehe sorry, couldnt resist that one...

 

[E_F_]

That rider already exists and his name is Pogacar...hehehe sorry, couldnt resist that one...

No, he's better at climbing than Vingegaard and worse at TTing than Evenepoel.

 

[ashhutch1997]

Belagua this year has a cat3 KOM 50km from the finish, so in practice is unipuerto

Oh yeah this years stage is trash. I was just saying it can be a good MTF if used correctly.

 

[ashhutch1997]

I've a feeling we'll see 2x 50km ITTs in the Tour next year. One at the end of week 1 and 1 in week 3.

Will be lucky to get 50km of ITT in the entire race.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Will be lucky to get 50km of ITT in the entire race.

I‘m certain we‘ll get less than 40, considering we already have a TTT and there probably won‘t be 3 TTs.

 

[Netserk]

Sounds like they'll definitely be doing the Montmartre finish again next year. It was great fun, I can see why they'd be reluctant to go back to the sprint finish in future. I think they need to put in a late sprint stage though, maybe stage 20, or you'll have all the sprinters bar green jersey dropping out before Paris.

Return to the stage 20 ITT and stage 19 sprint/breakaway like in 2022/2021/2020/2017/2014.

 

[houtdffan]

MTT again next year

Watch, Drunk Gouvenou will not give us even a single flat ITT

Tour de France could return to L'Alpe d'Huez in 2026 after stages in the Massif Central and the Vosges mountains

113th edition of Le Tour to start in Barcelona with full route presentation scheduled for October 23

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[E_F_]

Stage 3 with some 2023 Marie Blanque vibes?

Granollers - Prades

195.2 km, +3651 m. Bike ride in Granollers, Cataluña

ridewithgps.com

 

[KZD]

Honestly if there is one year in which I wouldn't mind skipping the Pyrenees (apart from stage 3 crossing the border) is next year.

I think something like this is not that far fetched:
Week 1
Catalonia stages
Flat-Hilly stages in Southern France
Massif Central (2 stages in second weekend)

Week 2
"Long"TT + flat stages in South-east France
Alps (I like the AdH and Solaison rumours but hopefully no MTT)

Week 3
Jura and one flat stage
Vosges (2 stages, La Planche will be back!)
Montmartre circuit

 

[E_F_]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1950674888236077149

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1950674888236077149

https://twitter.com/x/status/1950681054542471321

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1950681054542471321

https://twitter.com/x/status/1950685686522347686

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1950685686522347686

https://twitter.com/x/status/1950688062457139431

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1950688062457139431

https://twitter.com/x/status/1950690332607139919

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1950690332607139919

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Honestly if there is one year in which I wouldn't mind skipping the Pyrenees (apart from stage 3 crossing the border) is next year.

I think something like this is not that far fetched:
Week 1
Catalonia stages
Flat-Hilly stages in Southern France
Massif Central (2 stages in second weekend)

Week 2
"Long"TT + flat stages in South-east France
Alps (I like the AdH and Solaison rumours but hopefully no MTT)

Week 3
Jura and one flat stage
Vosges (2 stages, La Planche will be back!)
Montmartre circuit

Yea, they could skip the Pyrenees, but they would need to then get lucky on what sites in the Massif Central and Vosges were paying to host, and then go ham with what they do with those sites. There are certain limitations and it's hard to get a true queen stage unless you count Mont Ventoux and double up on it, but you could get some pretty solid stages out of the area:

(this one requires a couple of caveats. Firstly, the side of Minier being climbed here would need a bit of work; secondly, that given it includes the Col de la Lusette and the stage doesn't finish on the steepest climb of the day, they need to ban Sepp Kuss, or at least ban anybody with a microphone from going near him, to save the universe from me throwing more salt than Terutsuyoshi managed in his entire career).

There's also possibilities to use known or common hosts or well-known climbs with some innovation:

 

[HashRouge]

I hope they don't skip the Pyrenees. I went in person this year and it was a great and fairly straight forward experience for a first timer - I'd love to go back next year!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yeah dno, the Pyrenees has delivered great stages in recent Tours, so I don't know why someone would want not to go there.. especially with the early Pyrenees in 2023 in mind. I guess for the novelty, of something new? I can see that, but not with the Grand Depart in Barcelona. They are literally just there for the taking, and early mountain stages are great for any bike race no matter how you slice it

 

[Red Rick]

MTT again next year

Watch, Drunk Gouvenou will not give us even a single flat ITT

Tour de France could return to L'Alpe d'Huez in 2026 after stages in the Massif Central and the Vosges mountains

113th edition of Le Tour to start in Barcelona with full route presentation scheduled for October 23

www.cyclingnews.com

MTT is the best way to use Alpe d'Huez after unipuerto anyway

 

[Libertine Seguros]

MTT is the best way to use Alpe d'Huez after unipuerto anyway

What about "in the TdFF"? That was the best Alpe stage in years.