La Planche des Belles Filles rumoured to return for Tour de France 2026

The fabled climb of La Planche des Belles Filles could soon reappear on the Tour de France map, with French outlet L’Est Républicain reporting that it is being lined up for the 2026 edition. For now, little is known about the route, but early whispers suggest this climb and Alpe d’Huez may both feature in the race. The official presentation is set for Thursday, October 23, when full details will be revealed. Until then, history provides the perfect reminder of why this short but brutal ascent has become one of the defining stages of modern Tours. In fact, perhaps the most dramatic moment in the history of the Tour occurred on this climb.

Measuring just 5.9 kilometers but averaging a punishing 8.5 percent gradient, La Planche des Belles Filles first appeared in 2012. That day Chris Froome crossed the line first, launching into public view as a rider seemingly stronger than team leader Bradley Wiggins. Wiggins would go on to secure overall victory, but Froome’s display on the climb marked the beginning of his transformation from super-domestique into future Tour champion. It was a moment that shifted the dynamic within Team Sky and set the tone for years of dominance that followed for the Kenyan born British rder.

The climb returned in 2014, when Vincenzo Nibali won the stage on his way to capturing the yellow jersey in Paris. That year, La Planche des Belles Filles was again decisive, cementing Nibali’s control of the general classification at a relatively early point in the race.

But we all know the year that La Planche des Belles Filles etched itself into the history books.

Six years later, it became the setting for one of the most dramatic finales in Tour history. The 2020 penultimate-stage time trial finished at the summit, with Tadej Pogacar overturning a seemingly unassailable deficit to Primoz Roglic. Pogacar’s astonishing ride not only secured him the yellow jersey, but also entered cycling folklore as one of the sport’s (in fact, any sport’s) greatest upsets.

Two years on, in 2022, the climb again delivered a show. Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard fought wheel-to-wheel, with the Slovenian narrowly defeating the Dane at the line when it looked like his rival had pulled ahead. That edition introduced the “Super Planche des Belles Filles,” extending the climb with a gravel section that made the finale even more demanding. The addition highlighted both the physical and tactical challenges of the ascent, pushing riders beyond the limits of traditional mountain finishes, with riders often collapsing over the finish line.

The significance of La Planche des Belles Filles stretches beyond road racing, or at least it does if rumours are to be believed. Earlier this summer, the venue was named as a candidate for the 2030 Winter Olympics, where organisers plan to introduce cyclocross. As event co-ordinator Jean-Pierre Lefèvre explained, “We are located just a four-hour drive from Belgium and the Netherlands, where cyclocross culture is robust. We know how to make it work; it will be a grand celebration.”

If the rumours prove true, the 2026 Tour de France will again revisit a mountain that has shaped modern cycling narratives. Much like the Col de la Loze, La Planche des Belles Filles has quickly established itself as a modern Tour de France classic, where heroes can be either made or destroyed. From Froome’s rise in 2012, Nibali’s win 2014, Pogacar’s miracle in 2020, to his duel with Vingegaard in 2022, the summit has repeatedly hosted decisive chapters in the sport over the past 15 years. Until October’s announcement, speculation will continue, but we hope that the rumours are true and we will return to La Planche des Belles Filles next July.