Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux – Le Cap d’Agde
Distance: 217km
Highest point: 238m
Category: Flat
Flat but not straightforward
Prudhomme and his team have not offered the sprinters too many certainties on this year’s route. A quick glance suggests this stage is one but it’s not quite as simple as that. The stage runs close to the Mediterranean and it’s not far from one of France’s prime windsurfing locations. It often blows in hard off the sea and if it’s gusting today, the riders will be heading into it. That could result in the peloton splitting. The climb of Mont-Saint-Clair is almost certain to cause splits. It looms up above the Med and offers a prime launch pad for a late escape. The sprint teams may get it back but don’t count on it.
André Greipel: "Who knows what could happen on a stage like this? We’ll want a small, unthreatening break to go early and then slowly reel them in. But it could go the other way and if it’s hot and windy like it often is down here, it could be a horrible day."
Maps and profiles courtesy of ASO
-
Tour de France 2026 contenders – Analysing the riders who will be in the battle for yellow next July
Following the route announcement, here's the current state of affairs regarding the favourites, the outsiders and the total dark horses -
Zwift vs MyWhoosh vs Rouvy – which is the indoor training app for you?
Here's how to choose the best indoor training app for you this winter -
Indoor training jargon buster
Know your ERG from your Level, your Direct Drive from your Smart Bike -
Missed deadlines for initial UCI registration by Jayco-AlUla and Liv-AlUla-Jayco reportedly due to absence of bank guarantee
Escape Collective article points to missing guarantee as reason for Australian squad's absence from initial list of 2026 WorldTour teams
