Tour de France Femmes 2026 route | Starting in Switzerland, few sprint opportunities, and Mont Ventoux as the decisive factor
Women's CyclingThursday, 23 October 2025 at 13:38
The route for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2026 has been announced! The organizers presented nine stages at the Palais des Congrès in Paris. There is plenty to enjoy: a start in Switzerland, a time trial in Dijon, a spectacular, explosive finale around Nice... And Mont Ventoux is the highlight of the race.
Start around Lake Geneva
The first stage is a road race. No time trial, no prologue, but just like in Brittany last year, a hilly ride to start the Tour de France Femmes. For the second time, it is not in France: we are going to Switzerland. There is a beautiful opening stage to and from Lausanne, with a vicious uphill finish. After another stage in Switzerland, the third stage will start in Geneva and head for France, where the finish is in Poligny.
The second stage is more for the sprinters, but stage 3 is quite difficult again, with 2400 meters of climbing. Stage 4 is for the fast riders, as there is an individual time trial in Dijon, covering 21 kilometers. The fifth stage is a beautiful hill climb, with Mont Brouilly as the judge. That's not all, because a day later, the riders will have to climb again in the low mountains towards Tournon-Sur-Rhône.
Continue reading below the photo!
Mont Ventoux as the decisive factor
However, the focus of the Tour de France Femmes is definitely on the last few days. Stage 7 goes to Provence and features Mont Ventoux, the ultimate judge of the race. This stage also has more than 3500 meters of climbing, with the well-known hilly terrain of southern France to warm up the legs.
The sprinters will have a rare opportunity in the eighth stage, although a bunch sprint in Nice is by no means particular thanks to a hilly finale. The final stage will go to and from the famous seaside resort: a short stage of 99 kilometers, but one that includes the Col d'Èze no less than four times. The finish is on the famous Promenade des Anglais. An explosive end for the ladies!
Stages Tour de France Femmes 2025
Stage 1 - Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026: Lausanne - Lausanne (137 km)
Stage 2 - Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026: Aigle - Geneva (149 km)
Stage 3 - Monday, Aug. 3, 2026: Geneva - Poligny (157 km)
Stage 4 - Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026: Gevrey-Chambertin - Dijon (time trial, 21 km)
Stage 5 - Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026: Mâcon - Bellville-en-Beaujolais (140 km)
Stage 6 - Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026: Montbrison - Tournon-sur-Rhône (153 km)
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Stage 7 - Friday, Aug. 7, 2026: La Voulte-sur-Rhône - Mont Ventoux (144 km)
Stage 8 - Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026: Sisteron - Nice (175 km)
Stage 9 - Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026: Nice - Nice (99 km)
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Latest Comments
- Now the Palestinian protestors can stop their whining. Trump came to the rescue. So they can now STFU and go back to waving the rainbow flags.raufus15-10-2025
- Cracked the code lol. If it was that easy to 'crack the code' jonny Vegas would be charging up the Kwaremont giving Pog a dose of his medicine. Evenepoel can't match pog on a climb and neither can mvdp. Anything with a half difficult climb and Pog smashes the field. Even on flat(ish)parcours like Roubaix it came down to a mistake and crash by pog to definitively crown mvdp. MSR is the only one that Pog probably won't win.kevpt10-10-2025
- We've seen this movie before. I think Pogacar is doping.DeadBlow10-10-2025
- 👍Bea08-10-2025
- 👌🏻Bea08-10-2025
- What the data doesn't show is how much of an effect drafting had for evenepoel. Pogacar went with del toro at 100km whilst Evenepoel was still in the bunch. Despite the bike changes he still had a lot of assistance getting back to the bunch. Pogacar then rode 60km solo whilst evenepoel rode with Healy/Skjelmose until going solo in thd last 10-15km. Thats ~20% less power / energy requirements for 45-50km. Apples and oranges...kevpt30-09-2025
- 👏👏Bea24-09-2025
- Agreed! As we all know now, Juan Ayuso will be on another team. But it was sweet to see him win the stages at La Vuelta. I do love the drama of cycling admittedly but its clear to see the talent of winners of stages in a Grand Tourryhw2814fq921-09-2025
- Pogacar has no competition he has won everything, I cant imagine even being him in that position!! Crazy. I am sure he has some back up plan for how he wants to spend his retirement years at age 30 onward. Does he like beer? Plenty of innovation in brewing. And you don't have to be super social. Chapeau/Cheers whatever you like Tadej you will do.ryhw2814fq921-09-2025
- Plus its confirmed that the Philadelphia Cycling Classic up the Manayunk Wall is back for 2026! hooray for thatryhw2814fq918-09-2025
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