Tour De France 2026

Stage 5 will tempt opportunists, with a hilly 158.3 km profile that will encourage attacks long before the finish. The Côte de Lamayou (1.1 km at 6.8%) and Côte de Baleix (1.3 km at 7.5%) in the final 40 km will sap the legs and could give breakaway specialists a rare chance to outfox the sprinters.

Relentless climbing will turn this 181.9 km mountain stage into a war of attrition, with the final ascents likely to expose any weaknesses after a long, sapping day. It could invite bold attacks from both GC contenders and breakaway specialists, setting up a dramatic battle on the run into Foix.

Stage 3 will heap sustained climbing on the peloton, with repeated ascents accumulating nearly 4,000 metres of elevation that should stretch the pure climbers and expose any early-season rust in the GC ranks. With its mountainous profile and relentless gradients, this could be the first real sorting day where breakaway artists and overall contenders test how deep they can already dig.

This will be a punchy coastal roller that tempts attackers long before Barcelona’s streets come into view. A succession of sharp climbs and draining false flats will steadily sap the sprinters’ leadouts, turning the final into a showdown between resilient fast men and tenacious breakaway specialists.