Alpe d'Huez → Paris, but with a twist: this is the Tour de France peloton's 24-hour itinerary
CyclingSaturday, 25 July 2026 at 17:30
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Follow us on GoogleFor the participants, the Tour de France isn’t just about cycling many kilometers. It also involves traveling many kilometers. For example, the entire caravan has to make the trip from Alpe d’Huez to Paris from Saturday to Sunday, but what does a journey of more than 600 kilometers look like for the peloton and its entourage?
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Alpe d'Huez is, of course, the centerpiece of the final weekend. On Friday, the riders arrived there via the route we all know, after which the A.S.O. accommodated them all in hotels in the ski village. “That saves us a three-hour bus ride. It’s nice for a change,” Mike Teunissen remarked with a wink. The team buses will be parked in Vif overnight and won’t be making it up to the top of Alpe d’Huez during this Tour.
On Saturday morning, the absolute queen stage is on the schedule, starting in Bourg d'Oisans. That means the riders will only have to descend Alpe d'Huez in the morning, though they’ll certainly have to set their alarm clocks early. The 171-kilometer stage, with a staggering 5,450 meters of elevation gain, starts earlier than other stages in anticipation of the subsequent transfer.
Between 10:10 and 11:10 a.m., the teams are expected at the starting podium, after which the race will begin at 11:20 a.m. in Bourg d'Oisans. Next on the schedule are, in succession, the Croix de Fer, Télégraphe, Galibier, Col de Sarenne, and the final stretch of Alpe d'Huez in what is this year’s toughest stage.
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Read more below the photo!
Alpe d'Huez took center stage during the Tour's final weekend.
Riders travel to Versailles by train
The first riders are expected to cross the finish line between 4:10 p.m. and 4:50 p.m. Add roughly 50 minutes to that, and everyone should have made it to the top by then. That’s necessary, too, because at 6:30 p.m., the riders are expected to return to that morning’s starting point: Bourg d’Oisans. That’s where the so-called convoy will depart from.
Escorted by the gendarmerie, the riders will be taken by team bus from Bourg d'Oisans to the nearest city, Grenoble, in 1 hour and 15 minutes. There, a TGV train will be waiting for the riders, scheduled to depart for Versailles at 8:45 p.m. The train is expected to take about three hours, after which the riders will be taken to their hotel. For the rest of the caravan, the transfer is estimated to take about eight hours.
Of course, the traditional final stage is still on the schedule for the next day. On Sunday morning, people can sleep in a little longer, because—following the adjustment to the final stage route—the team presentation isn’t scheduled until 3:40 p.m. The race will start at 5:50 p.m. at the finish line on the Champs-Élysées for an 89-kilometer stage; the finish is expected around 7:45 p.m.
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Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- Great article, but the gap was 26s at the line, not “about 20s.” Details matter. Also, small note: it’s Dario Kloeck (mechanic) and Klaas Lodewyck—spelling’s a bit wobbly here. Still, thumbs up for the context. Qué etapón hoy!bikebuffj25-07-2026
- “Pogi not starting” had me laughing. Honest and true though—Tadej’s on a different planet this July. Remco’s getting closer on the long climbs; if he finds 1–2% more and Red Bull-BORA nails the train in the valleys, next year could be fuego. Vamos, allez, komaan!jeremya25-07-2026
- Brilliant ride, but the piece brushes over the Vingegaard DNF too lightly. That changed the GC dynamic massively. Still, Remco managed the third week a lot better than in prior Grand Tours—nutrition and pacing look spot on this time.davidm25-07-2026
- Wait, how does the King of the Mountains work exactly? Carapaz wins the stage and keeps the polka dots because he took more points on the earlier climbs too, right? Do the stage win and KOM points stack separately or is it the same classification?breakawaybikerd25-07-2026
- Goosebumps today. Remco emptying the tank on Alpe d’Huez then still classy in the interviews. Two stage wins + likely 2nd on GC in your first full Tour GC tilt with a new team structure? Monumental. Also love the nod to De Klerk/Kloeck/Lodewyck—proper team effort.sprocketspiny25-07-2026
- - Timing windows are tight:50 start, finish around45—twilight vibes on the Champs. Sprinters better have the 11-tooth ready. Vamos, MvdP y Philipsen, mais aussi respect pour Kuss!patriciaw25-07-2026
- - Massive relief Kuss didn’t go over the edge on that second crash. Dude’s bike control saved him after the slide. Gutted for the stage, but that could’ve been tragedy.cadencekingm25-07-2026
- - Wait, so they bus the riders to Paris after the start? Is that normal in the Tour, or is this a one-off because of the fires and policing?cyclechamp4525-07-2026
- - Van der Poel must be licking his lips—unchanged Montmartre circuit suits his punch and bike handling. Expect Alpecin to drill the leadouts late. Remco/Philipsen dynamic will be spicy.samanthak25-07-2026
- - Not sure this article gives enough context on the Sarenne descent. It’s notorious—narrow, broken tarmac, off-camber corners. Saying he “let it slip” feels a bit harsh; that road bites everyone.lindae25-07-2026
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