Tour de France 2026 stage 21 preview
July 26, 2026; Thoiry - Paris Champs-Élysées, 130km
- Stage 21: Thoiry - Paris Champs-Élysées
- Date: July 26, 2026
- Distance: 133km
- Start time: 16:15 CET
- Finish time: 19:40 CET


Initiated by the 2024 Olympics, the circuit featuring the cobbled climb of Butte Montmartre returns for the second consecutive year to close out the Tour de France. Once again, a Classics-style finish awaits the riders, with three passes over the Butte Montmartre, but one key change to give a chance to any sprinters that have survived the Alpine stages. The finish line on the Champs-Élysées will be 15 kilometres from Sacré-Coeur, compared to six last year.
From Thoiry, the peloton heads east for 49 kilometres before entering Paris, following the Seine and sweeping past the Eiffel Tower to join the circuit. Three short laps of the Champs-Élysées before the riders speed from the Arc de Triomphe toward Montmartre for three ascents of the Rue Lepic on the longer loop, as in last year's edition. One final lap of the Champs-Élysées, and the last stage winner of the 2026 Tour will be known.
Mountains
- Côte du Pavé des Gardes (cat. 4, 700m at 9.7%), km. 43.1
- Côte de la Butte Montmartre (cat. 4, 1km at 6.5%), km. 90.8
- Côte de la Butte Montmartre (cat. 4, 1km at 6.5%), km. 106.7
- Côte de la Butte Montmartre (cat. 4, 1km at 6.5%), km. 122.7
Sprints
- Paris - Hauts des Champs-Elysées, km. 72.2
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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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