Emmanuel LANGELLIER, Media365: Published Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 3:57 p.m.
Find out everything you need to know about the 2026 Tour de France. Tadej Pogačar will be looking to win his fifth crown and make history.
Where and when?
The 113th Tour de France will take place from July 4 to 26. Grand Boucle 2026, consisting of three intense weeks, will begin in… Barcelona. The Catalan city will be the scene of a team time trial over a distance of 19.6 km, the first since 1971. The focus this year will be on Spanish territory for the first three days. After the Pyrenees, Massif Central, Vosges, Jura and Alps, the finish will be judged in Paris on the Champs-Élysées after three long-awaited crossings along the coast of Butte Montmartre.
What numbers do you need to know?
The 2026 Tour will offer 21 stages (2 rest days) to the 23 teams present, covering 3,321.2 kilometers. The program includes: 7 flat stages, 4 hilly stages, 8 mountain stages (5 altitude rides), 1 team time trial and 1 individual time trial. The altitude gain will be more than 54,450 meters. €2.3 million will be awarded and used for teams and riders, including €500,000 for the winner of the final individual general classification.
What are your favorites?
It will come as no surprise that the favorite for this 2026 vintage will be Tadej Pogacar. At 27 years old, the one who leaves only crumbs to his opponents has perhaps never seemed so strong. The Slovenian has already won a lot in 2026 (Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liège, Tour of Romandie, Tour of Switzerland) and will be aiming for a fifth Tour de France crown, which would put him equal to Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, the stage’s record holders. As in recent years, his main competitor will be Jonas Vingegaard, two-time winner and 3-time second behind “Pogi”, also in very good form in 2026 (wins in Paris-Nice, Tour of Catalunya and Tour of Italy). For the first time since 2022, the two great rivals also approach the Tour with complete control. From the French side we will be following the behavior of Paul Seixas, probably a future great runner, who was present at the Grande Boucle for the first time.
Which broadcasters?
As every year, the Tour de France will be broadcast on France Télévisions. You’ll have to switch between France 2 and France 3 throughout the 21 stages (most stages start on F3 at the start of the day and then switch to F2 for the finale and final sprint). France 4 will broadcast the teams’ presentations. The competition will also be broadcast on Eurosport channels.