Tour de France final shortens to 89 km, finishes in Paris as southwest fires spark changes

The last stage of the 2026 Tour de France was reduced from the planned 133 km to 89 km after an exceptional fire situation in southwest France. Riders remaining in the race were flown by bus directly to Paris, bypassing the Yvelines department, while the Interior Ministry redeployed police and gendarmerie to reinforce firefighting efforts in the Gironde region.

The revised route starts at 17:50, with two extra laps on the Champs‑Élysées, a circuit on Montmartre hill and a finish on the famous Paris avenue around 19:45. Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar leads by 6 minutes 26 seconds over Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel, positioning him for a potential fifth Tour victory. His teammate, 22‑year‑old Mexican Isaac Del Toro, is third in the general classification, about ten minutes off the yellow jersey.

Organisers expect a large crowd, similar to last year’s 500,000 spectators in Paris, including roughly 180,000 on Montmartre, to line the streets for the finale.