'All races feel built for Pogacar' - Tour route designer on 2026 route

“As always, we try to offer something challenging,” Gouvenou said after the presentation to Cyclism'Actu. “What defines this Tour is the way it builds in power. We didn’t look for major difficulties at the beginning. They’ll come later, especially in the final week, which is going to be exceptionally tough.”

He expects the Pyrenees to offer a brief respite before the decisive climbs arrive. “We’ve eased off a bit there; it’s more of a terrain for breakaway specialists,” he explained. “We shouldn’t see big gaps after the Pyrenees, but the Col du Haag at Le Markstein will be a real challenge. In my opinion, it’s the hardest climb in the Vosges, and it should start to establish a hierarchy.”

That hierarchy, Gouvenou believes, will become clearer once the race reaches the Alps. “From Solaison onwards, there’ll be nowhere to hide. Riders will have to show their strength. By the time we reach the foot of Alpe d’Huez, we’ll already have a very clear picture.”

The race concludes with two ascents of Alpe d’Huez, one via the legendary 21 hairpins and the other through the rugged slopes of the Col de Sarenne. “That idea came from Christian Prudhomme,” Gouvenou smiled. 

“When we looked back at Hinault and Lemond in 1986, we realised that forty years later, we had to mark the moment. The climb via Sarenne is completely different, rougher, and it could create real surprises, especially after the Croix de Fer and Galibier. It’s going to be a marathon of a stage.”

Asked who the route favours, Gouvenou’s answer was immediate. “Right now, all bike races feel like they’re built for one man, Pogačar,” he said. “There’s not much we can do against that kind of talent. But we tried to keep the suspense alive by saving the hardest climbs for the end. We’ll see how it plays out.”

Keeping the Tour unpredictable in the age of Pogačar may well be one of the toughest jobs in cycling, and it’s Gouvenou’s to manage.