Tour de France 2026 Route Rumours – Is The Alpe d’Huez Back? Team Time Trial in Barcelona CONFIRMED

The 2026 Tour de France is set to begin with a Grand Départ in Barcelona, marking a historic return of the race to the Catalan capital. The opening stage will feature a team time trial, followed by a hilly second stage from Tarragona back to Barcelona, offering an early test for the general classification contenders.

This will be the second Spanish Grand Départ in just three years, following Bilbao in 2023, and only the fourth time in history that the Tour has started in Spain. Barcelona itself last hosted the Tour in 2009, when Thor Hushovd won a sprint stage on the city’s streets.

The 2026 edition also looks set to revisit some of the race’s most iconic climbs, with La Planche des Belles Filles and Alpe d’Huez rumoured to return to the route. These legendary summits have been the scenes of unforgettable battles — from Chris Froome’s breakthrough victory in 2012 at La Planche to the dramatic duels on the slopes of Alpe d’Huez that have defined entire generations of the Tour.

The full route will be unveiled on Thursday, October 23, promising new surprises and the continuation of cycling’s greatest summer drama.

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Hello everyone and welcome to another video here on the Cycling Dane extra channel or or if you’re listening on the Cycling Dane podcast and today as always I’m joined by Patrick Blake of ADU Cycling and this is our first one about the tour to France 2026. We’re already in 25 but yeah the party keeps going. Patrick, we have some certainties and a lot of uncertainties. This is basically us getting through some of the rumors before that the team well the route is announced later in Paris. But yeah, tour to France. Last year we had it pretty much within France or this year within France. Not crossing any borders. We’ve seen the Grandar here then everywhere. Denmark even and Yorkshire. Anyway, Patrick. Yeah, Barcelona. What What do you kind of think of these kind of things? Yeah, I think Kits well much to your delight is going to start with a team time trial that is confirmed absolutely written in the books. Although we were talking last time, there was a team time trial around Barcelona was in Valta when it was that nighttime one where it was raining and there’s that famous kind of a Neapol going up to the cameras saying it was just a complete joke basically. So hopefully it’s not like that again for the riders and just the general races sake. But a team time travel in the tour for the first time in I want to say it was was it 201 19? Yeah, I was going to say it was the addition where Tennison took the first stage, wasn’t it? Yeah, in Brussels that. Yeah, I I remember that having a team time trial. So I think that might have been the last time we had one. So it’s a good Well, by the time this 26 edition comes around, it’s going to be what, like eight years, something like that since we’ve had a team time trial. So it’s a long time coming. Uh, which is great to see and no doubt you’ll be happy about that. Well, I would kind of Well, I say this all the time. I I would prefer it on stage 18 because then it’s really ruthless cuz some teams will only have four riders there and they have to make it inside the time cut. Obviously, they’re never going to do that and they’re never going to do it up a mountain either. That would be funny as well. But, no, no, it’s a great way to start a race for sure. makes the yellow jersey a bit tense within like each team who’s going to be the first rider to finish across the line because like in the 2019 the Brussel edition obviously they had the road stage before and then they had the team time trial so it was a bit different. It’s worth noting that we do actually have a a stage profile already for the course. Obviously going around Barcelona, it starts pretty much just kind of on the on the water’s edge, goes into the city, and it’s pretty untenical, just a lot of 90° sort of bends. But then we do we do go up, we could do Monturich, which is for those who are a bit more as cycling nerdy. We’ll remember this from the circuit lap around Barcelona in the Vulta Catalonia. So I think that’s just it might not be the exact same side. It’s 1.1k is at 5.1% a bit of a descent and then it actually goes up to the Kutad Olympic which is 800 meters at 7%. So it’s not quite your mountain team time trial on stage 18 that you’re hoping for Scott but it does have some pretty serious climbing in there. It’s not going to be a straightforward team time trial. So I think it’s going to be a pretty zesty first stage. Yeah. Not not your traditional one for sure. But yeah, they have listened a bit. Uh, I’ll give you that. But yeah, we might as well move on to stage two. And what does that look like for the riders? So, it goes from Taragona to Barcelona, 178ks. Uh, a very flat first half of the race, the first 80ks all on the coast. Then we head in land to the cut to I guess 6ks 6% and then into Barcelona where we’re taking multiple laps of that same vault to Catalonia lap circuit around the cut to monjurich. So I think it be really cool to see to see that. We obviously all sort of know how it goes in the vault to Catalonia after a week of be interesting to see how it being used in a grand fall setting perhaps might make you know it’s it’s going to be pretty electric because we know how hard that climb is. We’ve seen, you know, riders really lighting it up on there in the past and I think it’s going to be a big puncher affair and kind of like what we had at the beginning of the tour this year. Lots of short punchy efforts. Basically, the organizers want a playground where Pagat is going to go a little bit crazy and put in some digs and him versus Vanderpool and Vingor Apool and this is going to be a really good stadium for that sort of battle. Yeah, I think the world Catalunia will also have a very interesting start line. Obviously, that race is also owned by ASO that own Tour to France. So, you can see why, yeah, you might actually get some big superstars this year or in 2026 to just test the racing sense as well. But, I mean, now, Patrick, we’re getting into the more murky part of of this. Okay, we got Shamzil is confirmed again. So we’re going back to Shamzi whether Motra is being used again. Um obviously a lot of critique we know from Yingo or from other riders it was kind of saved by the fact that it was raining and to be honest having been to Motra last week kind of has a point. It’s very hard to get 180 riders up those narrow streets. So I yeah maybe were a bit critical at the time when he said it but I think yeah he probably had a point. But that aside, uh yeah, what where are we going from Barcelona, do you think? I mean, it looks like on the map we might be going into potentially a third country in total. It does s look like we’re heading towards and Pandora and it’s not going to so just as a consequence, we are heading towards mountains towards the end of this stage full stop. So, it’s not going to be a sprint by the looks of things, unless they just go through a tunnel or something, which I don’t even know if that exists. But the rumors are well, it’s confirmed by, you know, according to La It depends where you want to get your information. You can get it from like Laflam Rouge or Wire or what’s this website called? Freewheeling France. But apparently it’s going to finish in Le, which is a kind of mountain resort kind of kind of thing. But it’s definitely starting in Granola, which is in in Spain. So, but that’s a confirmed start. We don’t know where the finish is going to be. It’s fairly certain it’s going to be Leong, but W angles, whatever you want to say. That’s pretty much what we know about stage three. Looks like we’re basically getting the Pyrenees out of the way in the beginning, but then potentially here pole I can see there looks like it’s going to be used for something. I’m not sure if that’s a a time trial that we’re we’re going to have in the mountains yet again. Yeah, I think it will be in in the mountains. So, it’s not going to be an easy This is just making me immediately realize this is not going to be the it’s not another sprinter friendly start to the tall of France. So if I kind of makes me question like where are these flatter stages? There’s not going to be loads of them in this race. Especially if the Shan Le takes in one Mart again. Yeah, it looks like until what stage six or seven the stage going what I think Po to Bordeaux. That would be our first sprint of well maybe there’s one kind of nestled in there as well connecting the mountain. So maybe two stages by the time we’re at stage six, seven for the sprinters. Well, the rumor is that the stage which so like stage I mean after stage four it likes we go li which with a possible mountain top finish again on stage four. Stage five is just unknown seemingly. We know we start in Lav Lan but we could go anywhere but might be a sprint. And apparently the post stage finishes actually goes kind of down south again into the Pyrenees apparently finishing up the cold tent tentes told I’m just saying it in any single kind of iteration that I can seemingly. So plenty of mountains to be going at actually in this first in the first week. But you are right. I mean they are there is going to be a stage finishing probably on stage seven in Bordeaux. I think that’s pretty confirmed. Uh we don’t know what the start town will be but yeah Baldo Sprint on stage seven right okay then we’re moving well this route is is more very south of France obviously we had Le starting last year so maybe this is them as a consequence moving the race further down and yeah wine territory again I mean most of it it’s wine territory very close to Le Mo as well but we in 2022. Not really that close. What do you make of these stages in the middle? And then we go up to Wards Ne as well. Well, stage 8 is rumored to go from Berg to Per Pedigo. Not not Pel like the where we had the mountain TT Pigu something like that. And then stage nine from Malamont to Usel. I think it’s just going through that central Massie Santra which from a stage as I remember there in the past it’s like not mountaintop finishes. It’s just good terrain I think for breakaways and you’re going to have probably medium mountain stages in there cuz we’ve already had quite a lot of GC action by this point. We’ve got to have had like two mountain top finishes possibly a team time trial and some pretty tricky stages around Barcelona too. So this is probably going to be the first opportunity for the break to to do something I think on stages eight and nine and then we’re going to arrest day. Yeah. So week two then I can already see one thing that I want to skip ahead forward to but you can be more metaphorical. I’m looking at Lli. We haven’t seen that for a while. Yeah. When was when was the last time we saw it? Was it 2020? It was I mean Pogy won ahead of No, it wasn’t. Oh, it was like body went right. I hit a vinger goal. I think it was I want to say it was 22. Yeah, 22. Yeah. Yeah, cuz they went up the super plunge. Yeah, that’s true. Yeah, I could have used the super plunge or just just a regular I thought the super plunge finish in 22 was amazing watching and those last few Yeah. a minute, two minutes of the climb was Oh, I was at the edge of my seat. So, if they use that again, that would be amazing. Okay. the the road they did clean it up a lot compared to when I went there a month before the race. So, it wasn’t as savage as people were thinking in terms of the gravel. But yeah, I think they will probably use it though by the super blanched Belfie. I mean, because they’ve got this strange relationship with wanting to just use the plot. It’s just been in the race quite a bit. So, and like you say, they’ve made that whole effort to make the road up to the top. There’s no way they’re not going to use it again. So apparently that’s rumored for stage 14. So towards the back end of this week of of this second week. Apparently we’re kicking off that second week, stage 10 with O orak to Li. So another mountain top finish and then probably a series of sprint stages for stages 11, 12, 13. Start towns are a little bit patchy but sprints in nezon and then into bell for and then yeah stage 14 will be launch to ble stage 15 is a little bit patchy as well. We don’t really know might start in bansson we don’t really know where it’s finishing yet but like you say the kind of main main thing people are looking for is the launch bell fee in that second week. Wasn’t Bansson the place where they had the cyclcross world cup world championships recently? I think so. Yeah. It looks like we’re not going to be dipping into Switzerland, but where Yeah. What about week three? Obviously certain iconic climb might be coming back and you’ve already made arrangements of your 2026 plans because of that. Yeah, I’ve already got I’ve already got my Airbnb booked. So, you snooze, you lose people. Uh the this very strong rumor and the thing which I am banking my Airbnb booking out solely is that Aldo is going to be coming back in 2026. Obviously because the last time we had it was a stage finish was in 2022 when Pitcock won up there and you appeared on Netflix. I did appear on Netflix because I was screaming at him at the side of the road. That was a great day and I want to replicate that. I think that’s going to be a great stage again and we generally see it’s like every four years you see up to which is why you know quick maths it was four years or it will have been four years ago when uh the pit went up there. So therefore, it makes sense that it’s coming back. And even just like people like boots on the ground, like people who are just renting the Airbnbs, the people in the bike shops, the people up at the top of outs and cafes and stuff, when I spoke to them about it this year, they said, “Yeah, is pretty much coming back like almost to certainty. Therefore, unless they really put it in that second week somehow or kind of, you know, mess with this arrangement that we’ve got laid out here, it should be in this final week.” Now, the rumor there is that it’s going to be either on stage 17 on the 22nd or it’ll be on the Friday the 24th. We don’t know what the start town will be if it’s on the stage 17, but if it’s in stage 19, it’ll start in Gap and then go to Outdoors. Likely stage 18 will start in Borgazon at the foot of Outdoors. Also why I’m going cuz I get like two stages for a price of one. might even try to catch one of the way down. I’ve got a logistical like thing going on in my head right now as to how I can maximize the tour next year. So any yeah, Abdaware stage starts in Borg the day after and kind of the other stages around that. Apparently stage 16 there’s going to be an individual time trial which is going to finish of the plateau do so which we saw 2 years ago. That was the one where Pagata, do you remember one where Pagatcha won and he just kind of taken his hands off the bars and it made it look like he was just out for a joy ride. It was the one that I think Adam Yates attacked early and Pog bridged up to him if you remember. I think that that that one apparently an individual time trial up there. So the tall’s on a bit of a a high when it comes to uphill individual time trials. So, it’s going to be pretty electric last week with that time trial, the Abdawarez stage, maybe another mountain stage, and then we’ll see what happens. Uh, stages kind of 1920. I mean, it would have been great to have an Abdaware time trial mountain. Oh, fifth option. You would see every single rider going up one by one. That would be pretty cool. I I would lose my voice halfway through easily as I’m just sat there sipping on my oasis and munching on multiple questons. He had a great day. I mean, fair play if you get a fresh croissant on Ald is quite far away from. Is there anything else in that final week? Obviously Paris as we said whether or not Mantra is back in the equation or if it was just used as a bit of a novelty last year. Who knows? But yeah, what do you think other than that? Yeah, apparently. So, the stage which starts in Borg was on stage 18 will finish up the Oria Merlet which is kind of just northeast of Gap and we’ll wait and see how I think that is pretty confirmed that it’ll start there. So, that’s why it’s all kind of adding up is that if there’s an outdoor stage it will start in Borg and then that mountain top finish is kind of confirmed. So, it just logistically makes sense. Yeah, the gap stage probably ending a sprint or maybe it might be some medium mountain sort of day because there is some hills and there’s definitely some hills around there for for sure. Probably not massive ones. Stage 20 should be a sprint and then like we said we don’t know what it’s going to be on the Shiz whether it’ll be Mart or not. I don’t think they would do it two years in a row, right? I think they’ probably revert back to this is just based on pure just a hunch. I reckon it’ll just be the normal one and they’ll do like a one year off, one year on, one year off sort of thing. I don’t see them putting it in there continuously. No, it looks like a good week. But holy moly, what a what a transfer they’ll have to do from stage 20 to stage 21. Yeah, dude. It’s going to be huge, right? Maybe they fly from Leon to Paris. Probably. Yeah. Would that even be worth it at that point? Would that be that much faster than just driving? It might like when you get through baggage and everything. They probably just put the riders on and so I think or Long to Paris flight that evening that will be a mental craziness if you’re a cycling fan seeing Pagatra Vingo Remco walking on the plane. Can you imagine Pogy will have a private jet though? Yeah, probably. Easy. I swear I swear he already gets flown around like private jet star. He’ll get one of his F1 buddies to lend their probably. Yeah, I reckon it would be. But I mean that is kind of the rumors. Patrick, obviously apart from Aldo is what what part of this route really excites you? Obviously team time traveling with that bit of a profile as you added in as well really is interesting but I would wanted probably deeper into the race. That would have made it a bit more exciting. I’m not okay. I am sadistic. I want it stage 18 but even just further in and then have a prologue. So you have a prologue and then there’s team time trial just to increase the kilometers in the team and the time trial because we haven’t had a prologue for how many years I mean was Lampart’s victory. Oh, was that prologue was our TT? That might have been just over 10K. I think prologue was probably 2017. Garrett Thomas won the first stage. It was absolutely dreadful weather. Valve crashed into a barrier jump. But wasn’t that also a time trial? I don’t know. I think it was a prologue. Okay. Cuz I mean the Denmark one we could Yeah. It’s just over prologue. I think I think in terms of what I’m looking forward to I’m really I’m really looking forward to like stages two and three with the circuit around up to Monurich. I think that’ll be really cool. Seeing it outside of all Catalonia with a total of France kind of sized palaton going around. I think that’ll be really cool. No. Yeah, I completely agree. I think it hopefully should be a really good grand depart in in Barcelona. I mean, the Bilba one delivered, so why not this? But anyways, with that, that’s basically it for our reaction to rumors and trying to dissect what the route’s going to be. Maybe it’s not going to be anything like this and we’re going to get a double ascent of Munu. I mean, they’ve done that already, but it would be absolutely amazing to do again. But anyways, with that, make subscribe to the channel if you haven’t already. Smash the like button. Comment down below if you know anything that we didn’t say. And of course, check out Patrick’s own channel, How Do Cycling. And of course, as always, thank you for watching and we will see you in the next one.