2026 Tour de France Stage 12 Preview | Last chance saloon for Philipsen and many sprinters

Sprinters, take note! Stage 12 of the Tour de France looks like the last chance for the fast men in a very, very long time—perhaps the very last. The upcoming stages will be geared mainly toward the general classification contenders and attackers, so the sprinters will really have to give it their all if they want to achieve any success in this Tour de France. IDL Pro Cycling previews this important stage.

We’ll kick things off at a special location. The Magny-Cours Circuit in Nevers is where it all begins—an impressive racetrack. Between 1991 and 2008, a Formula 1 race was held there every year, but since then it has been used for other racing series, such as the 24-hour motorcycle race and Superbike races. At a slightly less impressive speed, the riders will set off on the circuit this afternoon.

We’ll then head east at a brisk pace, and the first few kilometers won’t be difficult. After 45 kilometers, there’s an intermediate sprint, which could still shape the battle for the breakaway, though we doubt it. After the flat first 70 kilometers, things will get a bit tougher. It won’t be as flat as Stage 11, because there are three small climbs in the final 100 kilometers.

The first is the Côte de Lanty, and twenty kilometers later comes the Côte de Cuzy. Both are short and not steep. In the kilometers that follow, the course will never be completely flat. It won’t be difficult. The highest point is about thirty kilometers from the finish, after which there’s one more small climb: the Côte de Montagny-de-Buxy is also a Category 4 climb, measuring 2.6 kilometers at a 4.3 percent gradient.

It’s certainly not steep, but the terrain could pose problems even for the strongest riders. If a Lidl-Trek team rides through there, it could get interesting... From there, the route descends gently toward Chalon-sur-Saône. The final stretch is relatively straight: the last few turns are about 2.5 kilometers from the finish line, and the final straight is nice and wide. It looks like we’re in for a fair sprint.

Times
Start: 1:40 p.m CET
Finish: around 5:50 p.m CET

It’s going to be hot, but just like at the start in Vichy on Wednesday, there’s a chance of rain. There’s also a risk of thunderstorms, and that’s no different at the finish. Whether it will actually rain at the finish is anyone’s guess. In any case, there won’t be any echelons.

So far, Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) were the men to beat. The latter Belgian, in particular, had proven to be extremely fast, but he struggled somewhat in the mountains and missed his chance in Nevers. Kooij finished third there and will be hoping to get another chance in Chalon-sur-Saône.

Should these men not make it, we will look at the names that were in the mix every day. Biniam Girmay (NSN) was alert every time and can also survive a small hill. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) can do more than that. The Dane can put his team to work, if deemed possible. There is more than enough horsepower to stretch the peloton.

Max Kanter (XDS Astana) can certainly be called the sprint surprise of this Tour de France. The German has won only three times in his career, but has been in the mix every time so far. His lead-out train is also running smoothly. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) had a difficult start to the Tour de France, but

Then there are a lot of riders who have also shown promise but haven’t quite taken that extra step yet. Soren Waerenskjold (Uno-X Mobility), for example, but also riders like Pavel Bittner (Picnic PostNL), Milan Fretin (Cofidis), and Fernando Gaviria (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA). Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS) is the French hope, but Clément Russo (Groupama-FDJ) and Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) also put in some solid sprinting performances.

Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) will also be there, as will his compatriot Pascal Ackermann (Jayco AlUla): with Kanter, there are quite a few fast Germans. In addition to Kooij, the Netherlands also has Rick Pluimers (Tudor) in its ranks, who has already performed well on several occasions. And, of course, Huub Artz, who is competing strongly for Lotto-Intermarché following Arnaud De Lie’s withdrawal.

Top Favorites: Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Dark horses: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Biniam Girmay (NSN), Max Kanter (XDS-Astana), and Soren Waerenskjold (Uno-X)
Long shots: Milan Fretin (Cofidis), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Pavel Bittner (Picnic PostNL), Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious), Pascal Ackermann (Jayco AlUla), Fernando Gaviria (Caja Rural Seguros), Huub Artz (Lotto-Intermarché), and Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS)