Tour de France Femmes 2026

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2026 runs from August 1 to August 9, 2026, over 9 stages. Stage 1 begins and ends in Lausanne, Switzerland. The race concludes on August 9 with the final stage. It is the fifth edition of the modern Tour de France Femmes, which was relaunched in 2022.

The 2026 Tour de France Femmes starts in Lausanne, Switzerland, with Stage 1 (August 1) being a circuit stage starting and finishing in the Swiss city. It is the first time the race has started outside France. The race returns to French territory for stages 2 through 9.

Pre-race, the main contenders for the overall classification were Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (the defending champion, who won in 2025), Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ, 2023 champion and 2025 runner-up), Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime, world champion), Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM, 2024 champion), Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek). Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) was the standout favourite for the sprint stages rather than the general classification.

Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ, Netherlands) won the 2026 Tour de France Femmes, her second overall title, after 2023. Stage-by-stage: Stage 1 (Aug 1, Lausanne): Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime). Stage 2 (Aug 2, Aigle–Geneva): Wiebes again. Stage 3 (Aug 3, Geneva–Poligny): Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset. Stage 4 (Aug 4, 21km ITT): Marlen Reusser takes yellow. Stage 5 (Aug 5): Vollering wins sprint; Reusser retains yellow. Stage 6 (Aug 6): Kim Le Court-Pienaar. Stage 7 (Aug 7, Mont Ventoux): Kasia Niewiadoma solo, takes yellow (+15'' over Vollering). Stage 8 (Aug 8, Sisteron→Nice): Vollering attacks at 6.5km, wins solo, retakes yellow by 8''. Stage 9 (Aug 9, Nice 99.2km circuit): Vollering attacks at 16km to go, rides alone to the line, wins stage by 1:04 over Paula Blasi (UAE Team L'IMAD); Niewiadoma-Phinney 3rd. Final GC: Vollering 1st, Niewiadoma-Phinney 2nd (+1:18), Longo Borghini 3rd (+4:29). FDJ-SUEZ became the first French team to win the Tour de France Femmes. Sources: letourfemmes.fr, CyclingNews, Rouleur, cyclinguptodate.com.

The 2026 Tour de France Femmes has 9 stages, running from August 1 to August 9. The race covers a mix of sprint, punchy, and mountain stages, with key mountain battles expected in the final days. The race has grown to 9 stages (from 8 in 2025) and spans approximately 1,000 km total.

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is the premier women's road cycling stage race in France, run in parallel with the men's Tour de France. It was relaunched in its modern form in 2022 after decades without a top-tier women's equivalent of the Tour. Past winners of the modern edition are Annemiek van Vleuten (2022), Demi Vollering (2023), Kasia Niewiadoma (2024) and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (2025). The race typically ends with a challenging mountain stage.

Broadcast coverage varies by country. In France, France Télévisions (France 2/France 3) and Eurosport/GCN+ cover the race live. In the UK, Eurosport/GCN+ and ITV4 typically broadcast it. In the US, Peacock/NBC Sports and FloBikes carry coverage. In Germany and other European markets, Eurosport/GCN+ is the primary broadcaster. Check local listings for exact schedules.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot won the 2025 Tour de France Femmes, becoming the first French winner of the modern edition. She sealed it on the closing mountain stages, finishing 3:42 ahead of Demi Vollering, with defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney third at 4:09. Sources: ProCyclingUK, letourfemmes.fr.

Twice: in 2023 and 2026. Her 2026 victory was one of the most dramatic editions of the modern race: she trailed by 15 seconds going into stage 9 (the final), then attacked at 16km to go and rode away alone, winning the stage by 1:04 and the GC by 1:18 over Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney. FDJ-SUEZ also became the first French team to win the race. Sources: Cyclingnews, ProCyclingUK, Rouleur.

She started as defending champion but lost several minutes on the stage 4 time trial (Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon, 21 km) and dropped out of general classification contention. She was not a factor in the final-week battle between Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney. Sources: letourfemmes.fr, Cyclingnews.

Yes. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime, Netherlands) is one of the headline starters for the 2026 edition. She is the world's dominant sprinter and a serious contender for stage wins on flat and semi-flat days. Her SD Worx-Protime team also features Lotte Kopecky as the GC leader, giving the Belgian squad a formidable one-two threat.

The 2026 race starts in Lausanne, Switzerland (Stage 1, August 1), making it the first time the race begins outside France. From Stage 2 onward, the route returns to France, progressing through varied terrain including flat sprint stages, hilly punchy finishes, and mountain stages in the closing days of the race. The full stage list runs through to the August 9 finale. Detailed stage profiles are available on the official letourfemmes.fr website.