“When you taste the Tour once, you immediately want to go back” – Winner of America's top race wants Tour de France success

The route of the Tour de France 2026 was unveiled a few days ago in Paris, and as always, it has sparked mixed reactions among riders and fans.

One of the men that attended the presentation was Sandy Dujardin. The TotalEnergies rider shared his excitement and ambitions for the coming season in an interview with Cyclism Actu.

Dujardin, who made his Tour debut in 2024, admitted that watching the unveiling of next year’s course revived his motivation after a 2025 campaign in which he skipped the Tour and was forced to ride an alternative calendar.

“Yes, of course. It’s a real source of motivation to come and discover the route in person,” Dujardin said. “It’s a very beautiful Tour, there’s something for all types of riders, and that’s what makes it exciting. We all hope to take part.”

The Frenchman’s main goal for the upcoming season is clear: a return to the Grande Boucle. Having already experienced the world’s biggest race, Dujardin said the feeling of competing in it is unmatched. “When you taste it once, you immediately want to go back,” he explained. “That will be the goal of my season: to perform well enough to be at the start of the Tour de France.”

Now more experienced and aware of what the Tour demands, Dujardin believes the 2026 route offers opportunities for all rider profiles, including his own. “There’s something for everyone on this course,” he said. “So we’ll do everything we can to be there, and once we are, give the maximum to perform.”

Among the many challenges on the newly unveiled route, Dujardin highlighted the mountain stages as particularly daunting, although also inspiring.

“For a rider who’s not a climber, of course, it’s the mountain stages that impress the most. When you see 5,600 metres of climbing, it commands respect,” he admitted. “But it’s the same for everyone. It’s not fear, it just means you have to prepare well.”

The 2026 edition will also feature a double ascent of the Alpe d’Huez, an addition that has not been well received by everyone. “It’s different, it’s not the same side,” he noted. “But it’s clear that it makes you dream.”

Dujardin, who is 28 years old, was a relatively late bloomer in cycling, reaching professionalism in 2022 with Total Energies. He won the Maryland Cycling Classic in September this year, which was his second professional win after the stage victory he got in the Tour du Rwanda back in 2022.