Protests already affect 2026 Tour: Over 6.000 signings on a petition to alter the Queen stage!

The entire 113th edition of Tour de France is built around the two massive mountain days in the proximity of the mythical Alpe d'Huez on race's last week. In particular the 20th, final GC day, crossing Col de la Croix de Fer, Col de Galibier (via Télegraphe) and Col de Sarenne, before finally arriving to Alpe d´Huez via a new road, promises an exciting day for the spectators with hopefully a GC battle to be still played out. However the above may not end up being the finite version of this stage as calls to remove the Col de Sarenne from route are gaining on strength with a petition of well above 6.000 signings wishing to protect the wildlife in the area.

This petition explains: "The organizers of the 2026 Tour de France want to transform the Col de Sarenne into the world's largest stadium. Indeed, the queen stage of the 2026 Tour is scheduled to finish on this pass. Positioned at the end of the stage, the climb to Sarenne could attract hundreds of thousands of spectators."

The petition's author continues, stating: "On July 25, 2026, a very large number of people are expected to crowd into the Ferrand Valley. This valley is home to marmots, foxes, and the fragile black grouse, emblematic birds that nest on the ground and whose chicks hatch in July, that is, during the Tour de France."

"Six days before the Tour de France passes through, the Col de Sarenne will be used by 16,000 cyclists during an amateur race called L'Étape du Tour. As in 2013, the overcrowding of Sarenne is likely to last for several weeks, which will amplify the disturbance to precious and vulnerable wildlife."

"Reaching an altitude of 1999 meters, the road leading to the Col de Sarenne is beautiful and wild. Closed for 8 months of the year, this road is a pastoral route, reserved for shepherds. The speed limit is 20 km/h. The GR54 long-distance hiking trail runs alongside this road and in some places coincides with it. Located within the Écrins National Park's buffer zone, the Col de Sarenne is one of those beautiful and rare places where you can still breathe pure air," the author concludes.

This year, the organizers were already forced to shorten the stage between Albertville and La Plagne after the discovery of an outbreak of contagious lumpy skin disease affecting cattle. Natural causes are already a persistent issue of Giro d'Italia where the 2025 edition was the first in a while to not have its course altered.

And while Giro escaped unscathed, the 2025 Vuelta a Espana organizers were left scratching their heads without a plausible solution as the race graudally fell apart in front of their eyes. While the weather was perfect to ride bikes, one stage ended up completely called off while another saw a neutralized finish and a couple more ended up having courses altered, often at last minute. All of that caused by protestors against participation of one team...