Tour de France Femmes 2026 launches with Grand Départ in Lausanne, Switzerland

Tour de France Femmes 2026 Mont Ventoux Lausanne Nice

The fifth edition of the Tour de France Femmes runs from 1 August to 9 August 2026 over nine stages. The race starts in Lausanne, Switzerland and finishes in Nice, France, covering roughly 1 175 km. A field of 147 riders from 21 WorldTour and invited ProTeams will contest the event, which includes a 21‑km individual time trial, a summit finish on Mont Ventoux and a final stage in Nice featuring a circuit that climbs Col d’Èze.

Defending champion Pauline Ferrand‑Prévot will lead the race alongside former winners Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma, with other top contenders such as Anna van der Breggen, Elisa Longo Borghini and Marlen Reusser. The start list also marks a milestone for Estonia, as Elisabeth Ebras becomes the first Estonian woman to ride the Tour.

Local authorities in France and the Swiss canton of Freiburg have announced temporary road closures and traffic restrictions for the opening stage and subsequent mountain stages, including the 7 August climb to Mont Ventoux. Organisers and sponsors are preparing fan zones, caravans and activation programmes across the route.

Entities: Elisabeth Ebras · Lausanne · Lotte Kopecky · Melissa Moncada · Mont Ventoux · Nice · Pauline Ferrand‑Prévot · SD Worx · Tour de France Femmes · Tour de France Femmes 2026 · UAE Team L'IMAD

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The final stage includes four ascents of Col d’Èze.
[● 5 SOURCES] The route includes a 21‑km individual time trial. (new)
[○ 1 SOURCE] UAE Team ADQ will be renamed UAE Team L'IMAD on 1 August 2026.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Elisabeth Ebras becomes the first Estonian woman to start the Tour de France Femmes. (new)
[● 4 SOURCES] The race will have a total elevation gain of about 18,795 metres over nine stages. (new)
[● 6 SOURCES] The 2026 Tour de France Femmes will take place from 1 August to 9 August 2026. (new)
[● 6 SOURCES] The race will start in Lausanne, Switzerland and finish in Nice, France, covering about 1,175 km. (new)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Breakaway opportunities are strongest on stages 5 and 6, with stage 3 also offering serious chances.
[● 3 SOURCES] Traffic restrictions and temporary road closures will be imposed in the Canton of Freiburg (Switzerland) and in French departments for the race. (new)
[● 3 SOURCES] 147 riders from 21 teams will start the race. (new)
[● 3 SOURCES] The route features a summit finish on Mont Ventoux. (new)