Profiles & Route Tour de France 2026 - Alpe d'Huez on stage 19 and 20; 7 mountain stages and Montmarte cobblestones
CyclingThursday, 23 October 2025 at 13:26
It is here! We take a look at the official profiles of all Tour de France stages for the 2026 edition. It is a race that includes a Grand Depart in Barcelona, stages in all mountain ranges and a brutal set of days in the Alps including two consecutive summit finishes at the Alpe d'Huez, with the final stage laying ground for a brutal clash.
This is an edition that features a team time trial and also individual time trial on stages 1 and 16 respectively, set to test out the riders' abilities against the clock in a very meaningful way, with the GC not only being decided in the mountains. The Grand Depart takes place in Barcelona, with stages 2 and 3 featuring hilltop finishes where minor differences and explosive finishes are expected.
The race will feature seven stages that are very likely to finish in a bunch sprint (5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 and 17) although the finales into Les Angles (3), Foix (4), Chalon-sur-Saone (12) and Paris (21) could also see sprint finishes, although there will be climbs on the way - or even a hilltop finish in the case of the first.
The mountain stages will consist of a day in the Pyrenees (6) with a summit finish in Gavarnie-Gedré after climbing the Col du Tourmalet; Le Lioran (10) in the Massif Central after a few explosive and steep ascents and Le Markstein (14) after a few climbs on the Vosges; with the three mountain ranges being represented before the arrival into the Alps.
In the Alps there will be the summit finish to Plateau de Solaison which can make massive differences on stage 15, whilst in the final week there will be a summit finish in Orcieres-Merlette before two arrivals at the Alpe d'Huez. One on stage 19 will have that ascent as the highlight of the day, whilst stage 20 will be a colossal day through the mountains featuring for example the Col du Galibier, before finishing in the ski station once again after ascending the Col de la Sarenne.
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Stage 1 (TTT): Barcelona - Barcelona
(TTT) Barcelona - Barcelona
The race begins in Barcelona with a 19-kilometer long team time trial that should set the early differences in the race. It is an unusual one, as it features an uphill finish by the Olympic stadium (as will happen on stage 2) but the ascent to the Montjuc will be ridden through an easier side. Still, it can certainly be a tricky effort to manage.
Stage 2: Tarragona - Barcelona
Tarragona - Barcelona
Stage 2 will feature the traditional circuit of the Montjuic to finish the stage, right on the first road stage of the race there should be a GC battle as the final ascent (that summits right by the finish line) features very steep gradients and will serve as a second GC battle to kick off the race.
Stage 3: Granollers - Les Angles
Granollers - Les Angles
No smiles for the sprinters as the race leaves Spain but heads into France through the Pyrenees for its first summit finish. It's not a hard climb into Les Langles, but the 5 kilometer-ascent averages around 4% and should see a mix of a few sprinters, climbers and puncheurs fight for a stage win on explosive terrain.
Stage 4: Carcassonne - Foix
Carcassonne - Foix
A hilly day, potentially for a breakaway on stage 4 as the stage from Carcassonne to Foix features two slightly difficult ascents but a flat finale.
Stage 5: Lannemezan - Pau
*unconfirmed profile
The first opportunity for the sprinters comes in the form of a flat finale into the city of Pau, a regular feature in the Tour.
Stage 6: Pau - Gavarnie-Gedré
Pau - Gavarnie-Gédre
Stage 6 is the first day in the high mountains and the only one on the first week of the race. The Col d'Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet are very difficult climbs where we may see attacks from the men in form, before the long but false-flat summit finish into Gavarnie-Gédre where we can see some very tactical race.
Stage 7: Hagetmau - Bordeaux
*unconfirmed profile
The race heads off from the Pyrenees and into Bordeaux for the 'real' start of the race for the sprinters.
Stage 8: Périgeux - Bergerac
*unconfirmed profile
Stage 8 will once again suit the sprinters with a finale in Bergerac.
Stage 9: Malemort - Ussel
Malemort - Ussel
Stage 9 from Malemort to Ussel is a transition day and an odd one. The profile could see the breakaway succeed with its rolling terrain but a sprint is also possible, making for an interestind dynamic.
Stage 10: Aurillac - Le Lioran
Aurillac - Le Lioran
On Bastille Day the riders head into the Massif Central for a day packed with short climbs, but some where a lot has happened in the past - most recently 2024, where in the same finale Tadej Pogacar and Jonas VIngegaard had an epic showdown.
Stage 11: Vichy - Nevers
*unconfirmed profile
Another sprint finish expected in Nevers.
Stage 12: Magny-Cours Circuit (Nevers) - Chalon-sur-Saone
*unconfirmed profile
Stage 12 is a tricky day, potentially for the sprinters with an arrival in Chalon-sur-Saone however with a few climbs on the day that can make it difficult to control.
Stage 13: Dole - Belfort
*unconfirmed profile
The race heads northeast towards the Vosges and in Belfort the sprinters will have their final opportunity before reaching the final mountainous leg of the race.
Stage 14: Mulhouse - Le Markstein
Mulhouse - Le Markstein
A day full of mountains in the Vosges, the stage will be short but on the 14th day of competition the riders head into Le Markstein after the steep and inconsistent ascent of the Col du Haag.
Stage 15: Champagnole - Plateau de Solaison
*unconfirmed profile
The race arrives in the Alps and features two incredibly steep and hard climbs to finish the second week. The Plateau de Solaison is a climb that on any day can create very meaningful differences.
Stage 16 (ITT): Evian-les-Bains - Thonon-les-Bains
(ITT) Evian-les-Bains - Thonon-les-Bains
The race's sole individual time trial, but one that does not suit the specialists in any way. It isn't a mountain time trial but starts off with a 10-kilometer ascent, an 8-kilometer descent, and only 9 kilometers of flat roads into Thonon-les-Bains.
Stage 17: Chambery - Voiron
Chambery - Voiron
Stage 17 from Chambery into Voiron could be a chance for some sprinters but realistically it's a day for the breakaway, with the classics specialists being the riders who will want to take advantage of it.
Stage 18: Voiron - Orcieres-Merlette
Voiron - Orcieres-Merlette
Stage 18 opens up the final mountain set of stages but it's a day for a breakaway, as the GC riders will be saving their legs and the summit finish in Orcieres-Merlette isn't realistically hard enough to create differences.
Stage 19: Gap - Alpe d'Huez
Gap - Alpe d'Huez
The race returns to the mythical Alpe d'Huez and in glory. The very short 128-kilometer long stage has an uphill start, but it's a day designed to see ultra-high wattages up the final ascent, one of the Tour's most iconic.
Stage 20: Le Bourg d'Oisans - Alpe d'Huez
Le Bourg d'Oisans - Alpe d'Huez
The queen stage. Although it lacks the distance, it's an absolute monstrous day in the mountains with 5600 meters of climbing featuring the Col de la Croix the Fer, the highest point of the race in the Col du Galibier through it's hardest side (which includes the Col du Télegraphe) and then the ascent to the Alpe d'Huez via the Col de la Sarenne making for an unique finale of a stage that is going to take every rider to the absolute limit at the end of a three-week race.
Stage 21: Thoiry Zoo Safari - Paris (Champs-Élysées)
*unconfirmed profile
The stage will only have one ascent of the cobbled Montmartre ascent, unlike 2025 where it had a pivotal role on the stage. However, it may still allow for some exciting racing before a likely bunch sprint.
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