2026 Tour de France Route Rumours ahead of Official Presentation

The Tour de France 2026 is set to start in Barcelona on July 4, featuring exciting stages and potential climbs in the Pyrenees, Massif Central, Vosges and the French Alps

The Grand Départ will kick off with a team time trial of 19.7 km through the streets of Barcelona, followed by a hilly stage from Tarragona back to Barcelona.

The first three stages will take place in Spain, with the third stage starting in Granollers and expected to cross into France, likely featuring the Pyrenees early in the race.

Route Rumours

The route may include stages in the Massif Central during the first week, with a possible finish in Ussel on July 12.

Eastern France could return to the Grande Boucle at the end of the second week. Absent since 2023, the Vosges—particularly La Planche des Belles Filles or Ballon d'Alsace.

Several clues suggest the race will pass through Haute-Savoie, one year before the Super World Cycling Championships 2027, including a return to the Alpe d'Huez, which has not been featured in recent editions.

Alpe d'Huez was last used 2022 when Tom Pidcock took the stage win and entered cycling's history books with a win up L'Alpe d'Huez at just 22 years old.

The department is studying the possibility of hosting a time trial at Plateau de Solaison, a demanding venue that would offer spectacular racing against the clock.

The final stage is expected to conclude on the iconic Champs-Élysées in Paris, with several new loops on Montmartre Hill to add to the excitement on the streets of the capital Paris.

These rumors suggest an exciting and challenging 2026 Tour de France, with a mix of traditional and new elements that could appeal to both riders and fans alike.

The complete route will be officially presented on October 23, 2025, at the Palais des Congrès in Paris inclusing details of the 2026 L'Etape du Tour.