Tour de France's Paris finale cut by 44km due to wildfire emergency, with no time gaps at the finish
The final stage of the Tour de France in Paris has been reduced by 44km due to a shortage of emergency services in the capital amid wildfires in the southwest of the country.
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According to Belgian newspaper HLN, no time differences will be recorded at the finish of the shortened stage. This means that the general classification after stage 20 will also serve as the final overall classification of the 2026 Tour de France.
In a joint statement on Saturday afternoon, Tour organiser ASO and the French Prefect of Police confirmed that the finishing circuit over Montmartre will remain on the route, but the race will now travel directly from the start in Thoiry to Paris.
“In the spirit of national solidarity with the affected regions and populations, it has been decided to adjust the route of the final stage between Thoiry and Paris on Sunday, July 26, 2026,” read the statement, which noted that “emergency services are fully mobilised to combat the blazes, while internal security forces are working to secure the affected areas and protect the population” in southwestern France.
“In light of this, the Ministry of Interior has decided to redeploy a portion of the internal security forces initially mobilised to ensure security for the final stage of the Tour de France, in order to reinforce the response efforts in the areas affected by the wildfires.”
The alteration means that the stage will take place entirely within the city of Paris. The riders will sign on in Thoiry before travelling by bus to Paris for a stage start on the Champs-Élysées at 5.50pm CEST.
The finale over Montmartre and the Champs-Élysées has been maintained. The peloton will now complete an additional two laps of the traditional Champs-Élysées circuit before taking on the planned three final laps over the extended circuit that includes the climb to Montmartre.
The ascent of Montmartre was added to the Tour finale last year after the success of its inclusion in the Paris 2024 Olympics road race, with Wout van Aert dropping overall winner Tadej Pogačar to claim a dramatic stage victory.
“The Prefect of Police and the Director of the Tour de France commend the dedication of all those involved in fighting the wildfires and express their full solidarity with the affected communities,” read the statement.
“They thank the riders, the teams, the local authorities, the partners and the public for their understanding regarding these exceptional measures made necessary by the situation.”
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