Race Previews – Page 2 – BehindThePeloton

On this page all our race previews are published. Race previews typically contain a brief history of the race, an in-depth analysis of the route, weather information, a list of favorites and possible race scenario’s. More often than not we also include fun-facts, data visualisations and our favorite cycling-related GIFs. We combine all this information in our previews to identify race favorites, outsiders and to predict potential winners for each cycling event.

Tour De France 2026 – Stage 5

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.

Tour De France 2026 – Stage 4

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.

Tour De France 2026 – Stage 3

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.

Tour De France 2026 – Stage 2

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.

Giro D Italia 2026 – Stage 17

A relentless sequence of climbing and a summit finish at altitude will squeeze tired legs and expose any weaknesses that riders have been hiding. With opportunities for GC attacks and ambitious breakaway specialists, this could be one of the last big battlegrounds for those still dreaming of reshaping the overall standings.

Giro D Italia 2026 – Stage 16

A brutal summit finish at Carì will squeeze maximum damage from a relatively short 113.0 km day, piling nearly all its difficulty into a relentless final 11.6 km ascent at 8.0% where pure climbers will thrive. With tired legs deep into the race, this stage could expose cracks in GC contenders’ armour and might tempt aggressive attacks from riders still hunting time or a breakthrough victory.

Giro D Italia 2026 – Stage 15

The fast men’s teams will smell a golden opportunity on this 157.0 km flat stage, as the peloton will thunder toward one of cycling’s most iconic cities with the pure sprinters firmly in control. Lead‑out trains and late positioning battles could turn the final kilometres into a high‑speed chess match before a drag‑race on Milan’s streets.

Giro D Italia 2026 – Stage 14

Relentless climbing will stack up the fatigue before the final ascent to Pila, where the gradients will invite explosive attacks and punish any weakness. This will be a day when pure climbers and GC contenders alike could trade blows long before the summit, turning the race into a war of attrition.

Giro D Italia 2026 – Stage 13

The fast men will circle this 189 km stage in red, with their teams expected to keep a tight grip on proceedings all day. A long run along the lakes and into Verbania, with the Ungiasca climb (4.7 km at 7.0% at km 171) as the main obstacle, will set up a high-speed drag race that is likely to suit the purest sprinters who can endure that late ascent.

Giro D Italia 2026 – Stage 12

A lumpy day through Ligurian backroads will tempt opportunists to ambush the sprinters’ teams long before Novi Ligure. The rolling terrain and the late kick of Pasturana (0.6 km at 7.2% with 8 km to go) could sap the pure fast men, setting up a tense chase between breakaway specialists and reduced-bunch finishers.