The 2026 Tour Stage: the reconcomplete birth

170 km, 5400 m of D+, three legendary passesBetween Bourg-d'Oisans and Alpe d'Huez, the 2026 Stage of the Tour takes cyclosportives back to the very heart of the Haute Montagne: length, harshness, high altitude and magnificent landscapes. Due to early snowfall on the Galibier at the end of October, we were unable to make any reconbirth in one go just after the course was announced. But we have gone through these routes dozens of times. We know where they breathe, where they trap you, where they elevate you. Here we detail the 2026 Stage of the Tour route, kilometer by kilometer, to help you prepare for it in the best possible conditions. Let's go.

By David Polveroni – Photos: ©3bikes.fr, ©ASO, depositphotos.com

A Marmotte tune, but ASO version

We were eagerly awaiting it in front of our screens this Thursday, October 23This year, little information had leaked; at 11 a.m., there were still many unknowns. Then the verdict fell: for some, the route of the 2026 Stage of the Tour is too hard ; for others, it marks the return of an authentic, demanding event, worthy of the myth – a true return to the essence of cyclosport. And how can we doubt it? With more than 5,000 m of positive elevation gain concentrated over 170 km, the course is furiously similar to the legendary Marmotte… but with the touch of the ASO organization. A dense, chiseled route, with no escape: the montagno, the real one.

Barely 15 kilometers separate Bourg-d'Oisans (the start), nestled at the bottom of the valley, from Alpe d'Huez (the finish), perched on its sunny balcony. 15 kilometers and yet a whole world : that of cycling, history, suffering and myth.

Alpe d'Huez is the legend of the Tour : inaugurated in 1952 by the victory of Fausto Coppi, it has become a symbol with its 21 numbered bends etched in the memory of the peloton. The resort had not hosted the men's Tour since 2022, when Tom Pidcock won there after an anthology descent in the Galibier. The 2023 Women's Tour then wrote its own history there, with a hand to hand legendary for the victory between Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering, concluding its edition on these mythical slopes.

The resort's return via the 2026 Stage of the Tour therefore takes on a special resonance. No classic climb this time: the organizer has chosen the variant via the Col de Sarenne, wilder, more raw, almost secret. A roundabout, but respectful, way of approaching the legend of the Marmot. Between Bourg-d'Oisans, the historic gateway to the great Alpine stages, and Alpe, the "island in the sun," this route marks a true cycling pilgrimage. A compendium of history, beauty and personal challenge.

As with the famous Marmot, your high mon daytagThe 2026 Tour Stage will be written in three acts, with the legendary climbs of the Croix de Fer, the Galibier and its Télégraphe footbridge, and Sarenne before reaching the Alpe d'Huez resort. Three giants that should not be underestimated.

The Col de la Croix de Fer: warming up

Altitude: 2,067 m – 29 km – 1,600 m D+ – average gradient 5,2%

The departure is, as for the Marmotte, on the D1091, this wide alpine artery capable of absorbing the successive waves of cyclists who set off this Sunday, July 19. The first kilometers pass quickly, carried by the excitement of the start and the long straights of the valley. After about 7 km, you have to turn right at Rochetaillée: first point of vigilance, because the speed remains high at this point. You then enter the Eau d'Olle valley and the commune of Allemont, whose asphalt, freshly resurfaced, offers perfect riding. At the exit of the village, a sign announces the color: "Col de la Croix de Fer: 29 km". A first S-shaped ramp allows you to pass over the Verney dam. Then, for two to three kilometers, the route runs along the lake on a flat section, before leaving the climb of Vaujany on the right. A short descent, and you are at the real pass.

The Croix de Fer is a climb with character. If your legs are strong, it can be a real pleasure; if not, it quickly turns into torture. Over nearly 29 km, it has it all: brutal ramps, deceptive flats, descents that break your rhythm, incessant restartsThe slopes vary from -12% to +14%, making it difficult to read the pass. It can be divided into three sections:

1. The climb to Rivier-d'Allemont : the first part is irregular: a ramp at almost 10% at the start, then flat sections that bring the average gradient down to around 7%. The last three kilometers before the Rivier are more sustained, often around 9 to 10% after the small hamlet of Articol. This is generally where the first groups form and the most ambitious start to "screw up". For the others, the watchword remains simple: manage and eat. A small flat section allows you to catch your breath before a short descent with switchbacks – five tight hairpins – which leads to the next section.
2. The central section up to the Grand'Maison dam : Here, the slope starts to rise from the start: a very steep section, between 12 and 14%, over 300 to 400 meters. This is probably the hardest section of the entire Stage of the Tour. After passing this "wall", you reach the route reconbuilt after the 1989 landslide. The slope remains demanding, the speed decreases, the mountaintagdoes not tighten. The route crosses the mountaintagno; little by little, the Grand'Maison dam appears – second landmark at almost 1,700 m altitude, already a great step taken. route then runs along the lake on a rolling section (4 to 6%), ideal for recovery... or for putting the gear back on. Be careful of the wind: this area is often exposed. From experience, a headwind here often extends into the Maurienne valley and as far as the Galibier, but it offers you a favorable return on the descent from Lautaret.
3. The summit section up to the pass itself. There are then about 6 km left to reach the Croix de Fer. The percenttagThey become more reasonable, between 5 and 7%, but the altitude is felt. The scenery changes: you leave the woods for high-altitude pastures, with Lake Grand'Maison below and the Trois Aiguilles d'Arves as a backdrop. Two kilometers before the summit, you leave the Col du Glandon on the left, before the last open bends towards the summit cross. Here, it's hard not to look up: it's one of the most beautiful panoramas in the French Alps. For cyclists who aren't playing for time, a photo stop is mandatory.

In summary, The Croix de Fer is a long, irregular, demanding, but splendid pass. It sets the tone for this entire stage of the Tour: manage, anticipate, save yourself. At the top, accept the fact that you will have to be able to climb twice that before the end of the day. The good advice? Never go into the red, except perhaps at the end of each section, to get going again without exploding. The rest is lucidity, rhythm, and a lot of humility – as always in mytagnot, but much more this year.

From the Croix de Fer to the Galibier: between vigilance and grandeur

The descent to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne is done in three stages, with only one rule: cautionThe descent from the Col de la Croix de Fer is divided into three distinct parts, each with its pitfalls and nuances:

1. The first 7 kilometers to Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves : a winding section of approximately 7 km. The route winds without any vegetation, visibility is excellent and the turns follow one another with rhythm. The surface should be redone before the summer, hopefully, especially in the crossing of the village, where significant cuts in the asphalt make certain passages dangerous. The slope is constant, the setting magnificent, but it is a descent where you have to stay in control of your speed.
2. The intermediate section: from Saint-Sorlin to Combe Bérard. After Saint-Sorlin, we enter a more rolling section. This is the ideal place to fill up with water at the fountain located just in front of the town hall, before embarking on a straighter section. We leave the Col du Mollard junction on the right, then the road narrows slightly. A few meters of ascent allow us to cross a small tunnel, short, without the need for lighting, but which opens onto a tight bend. Behind, the descent of the Combe Bérard opens: a long, flowing ribbon, known to those who climbed this slope during the 2022 Stage of the Tour. Nothing treacherous here, but vigilance is still required. route encourages relaunching, wrongly. Serenity is the key word.
3. The last section: towards Saint-Jean-de-MaurienneA short climb breaks the rhythm: no major difficulty, but you sometimes have to go back to the small chainring to maintain flexibility. Behind, it's the big final dive towards Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne: a fast, fluid descent, with a single hairpin, where speeds easily exceed 70 km/h. The danger here is overconfidence.. Keep your hands on the hens, eyes far ahead. At the bottom, thetagdoes not disappear, the valley opens.

Then begins a 13-km valley section, a gentle uphill stretch leading to Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne. This is the only real transition phase of the day. The watchword is simple: refueling and regeneration. Drink, eat, relax your shoulders, turn your legs. 83 km on the clock, but the halfway point has not yet been reached. 12 km to go, and you can estimate your total time for the Stage of the Tour.

Crossing Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne marks the beginning of a new chapter. We leave the valley of the same name, cross the bridge over the Arc, and it's time to tackle the 12 km of the Col du Télégraphe.

The Col du Télégraphe: the launch pad

The Télégraphe is a footbridge pass. An intermediate climb, certainly, but one that determines everything that follows. It can be divided into two sections:

1. 8 km of a slope varying between 6 and 8,5%, until the junction towards Valmeinier
2. Then a flat section, followed by 3,5 km of rolling terrain, between 4,5 and 7%, a tone below.

This is often where the body teste: legs still warm, head already in the GalibierThe last kilometer overlooks the Maurienne valley and offers this unique sensation of leaving the plain to find the mountaintagBut make no mistake: The Telegraph is only a prologue. It is the launch pad for the pass that built the legend of the Tour… Note that there is a water point at the summit.

The Col du Galibier: the altar of cycling

Altitude: 2,642 m – 34 km from Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne (17 from Valloire) – 1,924 m D+ – average gradient 5,5%

The Giant of the Alps. After the short descent from the Télégraphe, we cross Valloire, its small cobblestones, its monstrous atmospheretagIf the vibrations already seem uncomfortable to you, that's not a good sign: it means that the body has already started to tire. And This is where it all really begins.

A pass again in three parts:

1. Setting route : exit from ValloireA short but brutal first ramp: 1 km at almost 10%, up to the hamlet of Verney. The atmosphere is still “resort-like,” but the slope is painful. The contrast with the previous descent is harsh, and the kilometers are starting to take their toll. A 2 km flat section allows you to catch your breath before tackling the next section.
2. The central section up to Plan LachatThis is the heart of the pass, the most strategic. A long, irregular section, exposed to the wind, with an average gradient of between 6 and 8%. If the wind is favorable, the temptation is great to push too early; if it is contrary, you use up your strength fighting. In both cases, the rule is the same: keep a cool head. This section is the key moment of the Tour Stage: the one that dictates what will remain for the finale.
3. The finale: the high montagnaked. Past Plan Lachat, the scenery suddenly changes. The route winds through a cirque of rock and silence. We turn right after a short flat stretch: this is where the real battle begins. There are 8 km left to the summit, averaging between 7 and 8,5%, punctuated by a few breathers in the hairpin bends. Then comes the last kilometer, after the Galibier tunnel: a constant 10%, the air thin, short of breath. Lucidity wavers. It is the kingdom of slowness, of calculation, of survival..

First woody, then mineral, finally lunar, the Galibier concentrates everything that the high mountaintaghas nothing big and roughThe strongest climb it in 1h45 to 2h, the others hang on, their eyes fixed on the eternal snows. Each bend bears the weight of a century of cycling: Coppi, Bahamontes, Pantani, Pidcock… And when the summit tilt looms, fatigue dissolves into a strange clarity. The view of the Meije, the white light, the silence. The montaghere, does not give gifts, but it offers a rare moment: that of touching the sky.

From Galibier to the Chambon dam: the penultimate chapter

Once you have reached the summit of Galibier, you enter another world.The silence, the harsh light, the Meije stretching out to the horizon: it is one of the most beautiful panoramas in the Alps, but also one of the most tricky. The descent to the Lautaret pass is initially narrow, steep, often swept by the wind. route winds through a lunar landscape, without trees or landmarks, and the gradient frequently exceeds 10%. The first kilometer requires humility and lucidity. Hands at the bottom of the handlebars, eyes far ahead, especially if the temperature is low: Here, even on July 19, you can come across snow banks. After the Galibier tunnel, the route widens and the asphalt improves. The trajectories become smoother, but the speed climbs quickly: 70 km/h is not uncommon. The Lautaret approaches, and with it, the promise of a breather.

From Lautaret to Chambon, it's then the trap of the false flat descent. From the Lautaret pass (2058 m), let's forget Briançon on the left for the route which plunges to the right for a long time towards the Romanche valley. About twenty kilometers with a descending profile, but where you have to pedal almost without stopping. Those who know how to take shelter in a group will save precious strength; those who stay alone will slowly exhaust themselves. It is a seemingly “easy” running phase, but which devours the legsThe most lucid will take advantage of this moment to eat, hydrate, and rest their minds before the final climb. The heat can be striking, especially if the wind is against them.

At this stage, the odometer shows more than 125 km, and the legs are no longer light. As soon as you leave Lautaret, the route opens up and invites you to start again. But the wind often blows here, especially on the long straights from the Col du Lautaret to Villar-d'Arêne, then from La Grave to the Chambon tunnel. If it's unfavorable, progress becomes slow, almost frustrating. Your legs feel empty, and yet the speedometer only shows a 2 or 3% downhill gradient.

Classic trap: you think you're "going downhill," but you're exhausted trying to maintain racing speed. The road is wide, well-maintained, with a few tunnels and galleries where the light changes suddenly. On-board lighting is recommended, if only for safety. There are few bends, but vigilance is still required even during the Stage, where the route is closed and therefore secure for all participants. The landscape, however, remains sumptuous. : the Meije on the left, suspended above the valley, like a movie set.

Past La Grave, the route runs along the Romanche River to the Chambon tunnel, at an altitude of around 1,000 m. It is a deceptively quiet section: the gradient is rising slightly again, between 2 and 4%, for a few hundred meters. It's the kind of slope that doesn't say its name, but where the watts melt away before your eyes. The legs, chilled by the descent, gradually get heavier.

The Chambon dam marks a breakthrough : here the valley closes, and the door to the final act opens. The lake, often a deep blue, hides beneath its surface the silence of past efforts. It is a place both soothing and disturbing: we know that by turning right, we leave the safety of the valley to plunge back into the mountaintagne. This turn towards the Col de Sarenne is a symbol: it is that of choice. Straight ahead, the route descends towards Bourg-d'Oisans. On the right, the last battle begins.

To summarize: management and lucidity before Sarenne. It must be repeated: This transition is not a rest, it is a psychological trap. Those who lose concentration often lose everything. Those who ride intelligently, refueling and managing their pace, will be the ones who will still have a little light in their eyes at the finish. At that point, the odometer shows around 150 km and more than 4,000 m of elevation gain. Fatigue has set in, but the day is far from over. route rises sharply as soon as you exit the tunnel, and many will be trapped by the illusion of a simple final. The truth is that there are almost 25 kilometers left to go, including 12,8 km of climbing at an average gradient of over 7%..

The Col de Sarenne: the hidden side of Alpe d'Huez

Altitude: 1,999 m – 12,8 km – average gradient 7,3% – max 13%

Sarenne is a wild finale, chosen by the organizers. No climb via the legendary 21 bends this year: ASO has chosen to innovate, offering the slope via the Col de Sarenne, on the Ferrand side. It's a bold choice, just like this edition: a route narrow, rough, grainy, carved in the mountaintagne. Here, there are no cheering crowds, no famous bends: just the sound of the wind, the breath of the riders, and sometimes a few herds. An old-school finale, authentic and unvarnished. And from the first ramp, the tone is set: 1,5 km between 10 and 12%, without restraint. After more than 4,000 m of positive elevation gain already covered, this transition is of a rare brutality. No false flat, no warm-up: the slope attacks you from the start. It is, for many, the "mental wall" of the stage.

The Col de Sarenne is 950 m of elevation gain over 10,5 km, without respite. But the numbers don't tell the whole story: it's an irregular, lively, unpredictable neck. The percenttagThe gradients vary without any apparent logic, oscillating between 8 and 11%. The asphalt, sometimes rough, absorbs energy. The wind, often capricious, arrives without warning on the summit section to stick you to the route if present. The first half winds through a deep, cool, and silent gorge. Then, the route rises and opens onto the mountain pastures past Clavans le Bas: the light changes, the breath becomes short, the 2000 m are not so far away.

The Sarenne pass is climbed as much with the head as with the legs. With accumulated fatigue and degraded asphalt, everything encourages you to give up. So you have to look up and contemplate. But it is precisely here that your memory of the Stage of the Tour will be forged. The Tour stage with the greatest elevation gain since its creation in 1993! THE challenge!

The montagne teste, then reward. Be careful, however, of the weather, which is always uncertain at this altitude. It is not uncommon for the pass to become overcast in the late afternoon. We remember our participation in a Vaujany (end of June) crossed under snow showers, our faces whipped, our fingers frozen on the brakes, with skates. The Sarenne pass does not forgive recklessness. Even in July, the montagdoes not impose its laws.

Arriving at Alpe d'Huez: the last breath

Once you have crossed the pass, there will be a short technical descent of 2 km, which is very tricky today, then a climb of 1 km to the altiport, which will seal your ranking, and your legs. Unlike the professionals, the cyclosportives will not go as far as the crow's foot to take the last three hairpins of the classic climbThe finish will be directly after the altiport, after a short 1 km descent leading to Rif Nel Avenue, the final point of this edition. A question of logistics, but which does not change the essential: the line is there, the symbol too.

A deceptive difference in altitude, an extraordinary stage

From our point of view, the total elevation gain announced is slightly overestimated. The data communicated by ASO, approximately 5400 m D+, does not take into account tunnels or intermediate elevation changes. If the different apps estimate the route at more than 5400 m of cumulative elevation gain, we think we're closer to 5000 m. That's already quite a challenge. In short, an old-school Tour Stage... a day where victory will not be about crossing the line first, but simply crossing it.

This 2026 edition renews the tradition: that of long Alpine stages where managing one's potential takes precedence. A total endurance test, both physical and mental, designed for cyclists who love the mountaintagne. Because be careful, we repeat ourselves but heretagcannot be tamed. The Croix de Fer, the Galibier, the Alpe d'Huez: these are three names, three giants, three steps towards legend.

Our advice: lucidity above all

Don't be too ambitiousIf you have any doubts about your ability to find the time to train properly, move on and choose the'Ventoux Stage'. This 2026 edition adds nearly 1000 m of elevation gain and around thirty kilometers compared to the last editions.. Plus the altitude and the length of the passes. It's a step up!

Ask yourself honestly how you ended up La Plagne in 2025: if it was mental, if the legs were crying out for mercy, then this stage might disgust you. Knowing how to put your ego away is also important.

The Galibier and the Sarenne do not forgive unpreparedness - here, the montagdoes not decide. The key is management : learn to climb for a long time without exploding, to eat properly, to stay lucid when everything tightens up.

And for that, we can only encourage you to get support from training specialists. As for me, you can find the training plans I wrote for ASO and winter preparation tips on this link. Preparation begins now!

Good preparation to all and don't hesitate to ask your questions in the comments!

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