Tour de France Femmes 2026 route - Stage-by-stage guide

The route of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will cover a record 1,175km across two different countries over nine stages. The route will pass through three mountain ranges in the Jura, Massif Central and Alps, with a record total vertical gain of 18,795m.

• 3 flat stages
• 3 hilly stages
• 2 mountain stages, including a summit finish on Mont Ventoux
• 1 individual time-trial

For only the second time in its modern iteration, the Tour de France Femmes will begin on foreign soil. The last occasion came in 2023, when the race started in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, but this time the peloton will roll out from Lausanne, Switzerland.

The riders face a challenging 138km opening stage which, despite being classified as flat by the race organisers, is unlikely to suit the pure sprinters.

Three categorised climbs await, all coming in the second half of the stage. The Côte de Villars-le-Comte (4km at 5.8%) and Côte de Vulliens (3km at 5.3%) will test the legs before a stepped descent leads into the final 20km. From there, the riders will tackle one of the flattest sections of the route before the final climb to the finish.

The Côte Saint-François measures 2.5km at an average gradient of 4.6% and will host the finish line. To claim the stage victory and the first yellow jersey, timing will be crucial on a finish like this. The climb is likely to split the race, but a number of riders could still remain in contention for victory.

The second full stage in Switzerland is also classified as flat by the race organisers and, despite five categorised climbs on the route, is likely to be one that the sprinters have marked as a target.

Starting in Aigle, home to the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Cycling Centre (WCC), the peloton will reach the first categorised climb around 30km into the stage. The Côte de Chexbres (3.2km at 5.6%) is first on the menu, with the road continuing to rise after the summit towards the Côte de Savigny (2.5km at 5%).

The Côte de Cossonay comes midway through the stage, before riders face a double test in the closing climbs: the short but steep Côte de Bougy-Villars (0.9km at 10.4%) followed by the Côte de Monts-sur-Rolles (2.3km at 6.5%).

With the summit of the final categorised climb coming 42km from the finish, any riders distanced on the climbs should have enough time to fight their way back into the peloton ahead of what is expected to be a bunch sprint.

Geneva will host the conclusion of Stage 2, where a fast and furious battle for victory is expected on the run-in to the finish.

After hosting the finish of Stage 2, Geneva will also serve as the starting point for Stage 3, with the riders quickly crossing into France to mark the end of the Swiss opening to the 2026 Tour.

The peloton will need its climbing legs ready from the outset, reaching the foot of the Col de la Faucille (11.4km at 6.3%) just 12km into the stage. The longest climb of the race so far is by far the toughest challenge of the day and could provide an exciting battle for valuable points in the mountains classification.

The majority of the stage features rolling terrain, with the final climb, the Côte de Chaux-Champagny (1.8km at 6.4%), coming around 15.5km from the finish. The route looks set to encourage a tactical battle between the breakaway and the peloton, with the escapees likely to believe they have a strong chance of holding on for victory in Poligny.

After an absence from the 2025 edition, the individual time trial returns to the Tour de France Femmes. However, this course is a far cry from the last race against the clock in 2023, which was a pan-flat 6.3km effort around Rotterdam. With a 21km route featuring a significant climb, Stage 4's time trial has the potential to create major gaps in the general classification.

Starting in Gevrey-Chambertin, riders will tackle rolling terrain before reaching the main challenge of the stage: the Lacets de Marsannay.

The Lacets de Marsannay (2km at 6.6%) will disrupt the rhythm of the riders, and those able to not only handle the climb but also carry their momentum over the summit and into the descent towards the finish in Dijon could gain valuable time in the battle for the yellow jersey.

The race organisers have described Stage 5 as hilly, and that may be an understatement for this rollercoaster route. Across 140km, the riders will tackle eight categorised climbs, each offering a different challenge.

Starting in Mâcon, the peloton will quickly face the longest climb of the day, the Côte de Cenves (9.6km at 4.4%).

It would be no exaggeration to say there is barely any flat road on the menu, with the riders spending much of the stage either climbing or descending.

The final ascent, Mont Brouilly (3km at 7%), is likely to split the race, and with the summit coming just 7km before the finish in Belleville-en-Beaujolais, the climb could provide the launchpad for decisive attacks.

Similarly to the previous day, Stage 6 looks set to be a demanding test, with the road rarely offering any flat sections. Across the 153.4km route from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône, the riders will tackle six categorised climbs.

The toughest ascent of the day is the penultimate climb, the Col de Lalouvesc (8.6km at 5%), which could be enough to reduce the group of general classification contenders.

The Côte de Boucieu-le-Roi (3.8km at 5.7%) is the final climb of the stage, with its summit coming just under 20km from the finish. From there, the riders will descend towards Tournon-sur-Rhône, creating the perfect opportunityfor a breakaway rider to launch a decisive move and claim a solo victory.

Since 2022, every edition of the Tour de France Femmes has featured one climb that has stood above the rest in terms of significance and difficulty. La Super Planche des Belles Filles headlined the inaugural edition, the Col du Tourmalet took centre stage in 2023, Alpe d’Huez provided the defining challenge in 2024, and the Col de la Madeleine was the standout climb in 2025. In 2026, another iconic ascent joins the race for the first time: Mont Ventoux.

Starting in La Voulte-sur-Rhône, the climbing begins after just 13.5km. Due to the sheer significance of Ventoux, the rest of the stage profile may appear relatively flat at first glance, but that is far from the reality. Before the final ascent, riders must tackle three categorised climbs: the Col de la Grande Limite (6.6km at 5%), Col du Colombier (3.2km at 6.4%), and Col de Suzette (3.9km at 6.4%).

However, all of those efforts will pale in comparison to the challenge awaiting the riders on Mont Ventoux. The "Bald Mountain" is not only brutal because of its 15.7km length and 8.8% average gradient, but also because of its unique, exposed landscape near the summit. The barren surroundings create a psychological battle, with the summit marker visible from far away, while the lack of shelter leaves riders vulnerable to the wind.

A climb of this magnitude is likely to have a defining impact on the general classification and could play a major role in deciding who wears the yellow jersey at the end of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes.

Stage 8 is another route that has been labelled as flat, but the profile does not tell the full story. Starting in Sisteron, the peloton will head towards two early climbs: the Col des Robines and the Col de Toutes Aures, with both summits coming before the halfway point of the 171.9km stage. From there, the riders will gradually descend towards Malaussene.

It is the final 20km, however, that could disrupt the sprinters' plans. The Côte de Colomars (1.4km at 5.4%) and Côte de la Ginestre (2.5km at 4.4%) provide potential launchpads for late attacks and could make the finale unpredictable.

If any of the fast finishers are able to survive the chaos, the odds will swing back in their favour in the closing kilometres, with a flat run into Nice offering the chance for a sprint finish.

The ninth and final stage of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes is the shortest road stage of the race (excluding the individual time trial) and promises to deliver a blockbuster finale.

Nice has a reputation for producing explosive and entertaining racing, as shown each year at Paris-Nice, and the profile of this stage suggests the Tour de France Femmes finale will be no different.

From the flag drop, the riders will begin climbing the iconic Col d’Èze (7.7km at5.9%) and complete a circuit featuring this version of the climb three times. The twist comes after the third lap, when the peloton tackles the ascent for a fourth and final time, this time from the shorter but steeper side at 6km and 7.6%.

This final ascent represents the last opportunity for a race-defining attack, unless a rider is bold enough to make the difference on the technical descent back towards the heart of Nice, where the 2026 Tour de France Femmes will reach its conclusion.