Tour de France 2026 stage 12 preview
July 16, 2026; Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours - Chalon-sur-Saône, 181km
- Stage 12: Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours - Chalon-sur-Saône
- Date: July 16, 2026
- Distance: 179.1km
- Start time: 13:30 CET
- Finish time: 17:49 CET


Stage 12, in Burgundy, seems to be another chance for the sprinters to shine, though the final climb, the category 4 Côte de Montagny-lès-Buxy will probably tempt a few riders to try a late stage attack, but the sprinters’ team will have 20 kilometres to reel any attackers back in.
Starting from the Magny-Cours motor racing circuit, a former Formula 1 venue, the 179.1km route heads east, crossing the Loire near Decize, 45.8 kilometres in for the intermediate sprint. Next, two category 4 climbs carry the riders towards the former mining town of Montceau-les-Mines, and into the southern Morvan, a northerly extension of the Massif Central.
From there, the Côte de Montagny-lès-Buxy and a sweeping descent through the Chalonnais vineyards set up the finish in Chalon-sur-Saône, where a bunch sprint is anticipated.
Mountains
- Côte de Lanty (cat. 4, 2km at 4%), km. 76.5
- Côte de Cuzy (cat. 4, 2.4km at 4.5%), km. 97.8
- Côte de Montagny-les-Buxy (cat. 4, 2.6km at 4.3%), km. 159.4
Sprints
- Decize, km. 45.8
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Lyne has been involved in professional cycling for more than 15 years in both news reporting and sports marketing. She founded Podium Insight in 2008, quickly becoming a trusted source for news of the North American professional cycling world. She was the first to successfully use social media to consistently provide timely and live race updates for all fans. She is proud to have covered men's and women's news equally during her tenure at the helm of the site. Her writing has appeared on Cyclingnews and other news sites.
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