Tour de France 2026 Starts with 19.6km Barcelona Time Trial as Pogačar Chases 5th Title
Updated
Updated · CNET · Jul 4
Tour de France 2026 Starts with 19.6km Barcelona Time Trial as Pogačar Chases 5th Title
3 articles · Updated · CNET · Jul 4
Summary
Stage 1 opens Saturday in Barcelona with a 19.6km team time trial, launching the 113th Tour de France over 3,333 kilometers and 21 stages.
Day 3 brings the Pyrenees earlier than usual, giving contenders a major mountain test almost immediately instead of easing into the race.
Tadej Pogačar enters as the favorite after winning his fourth Tour in six years in 2025, with Jonas Vingegaard, Florian Lipowitz and Remco Evenepoel leading the main challenge.
Barcelona hosts the Grand Départ in Spain for only the third time, and the race is scheduled to finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 26.
Can a returning champion or a teenage prodigy truly challenge Tadej Pogacar's seemingly inevitable march to a historic fifth Tour victory?
With riders faster than in the doping era, can new technology prove their legitimacy or will suspicion always taint cycling's greatest champions?
As cycling's business model is called 'broken,' can new initiatives finally free teams from their reliance on controversial fossil fuel sponsors?
2026 Tour de France: Historic Barcelona Grand Départ, Route Analysis, and the Battle for Cycling Supremacy
Overview
The 113th Tour de France begins on July 4, 2026, with Barcelona hosting the opening stages for the first time. The race starts with a unique Team Time Trial, providing an early test of team strength and strategy that could shape the general classification from the outset. After an initial weekend in Spain, the peloton moves into France, continuing a challenging journey that will end in Paris. This historic start sets the stage for a demanding and exciting race, where early teamwork and tactics are expected to play a crucial role in determining the leaders.