Tour de France 2026: Pogacar and Vingegaard Set for Rivalry as Race Begins
The peloton of 184 riders begins its three-week journey from Barcelona to Paris, with Tadej Pogacar targeting a historic third consecutive title against Jonas Vingegaard.
The 113th Tour de France is scheduled to take place over three weeks in July 2026, covering 3,321 kilometres from Barcelona to the Champs-Elysees in Paris. The race comprises 21 stages with two rest days. Tadej Pogacar aims for his third consecutive title, facing primary opposition from Jonas Vingegaard, who recently won the Giro d'Italia. The 184-rider field includes Canadian Derek Gee-West and French debutant Paul Seixas. In Canada, all stages will be available via live streaming on FloBikes, as the event will not air on traditional television.
Pogacar is seeking to secure his fifth overall victory, which would tie him for the most all-time. His primary rival, Vingegaard, won the 2022 and 2023 editions and recently completed the sport’s grand tour treble by winning the Giro d'Italia. The general classification battle is expected to be dominated by these two riders, who have combined to win the last six Tours.
The field features significant new talent, including 19-year-old Frenchman Paul Seixas, who is making his Tour de France debut. Seixas has won the Tour of the Basque Country and La Fleche Wallonne this year and finished second to Pogacar at both the Strade Bianche and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Derek Gee-West, a 28-year-old from Ottawa, is the only Canadian rider in the field. He joined the Lidl-Trek squad as a late addition after finishing fifth in the general classification at the Giro d'Italia. Gee-West previously finished ninth in the general classification at the 2024 Tour de France.
The race includes a variety of terrain, with specific stage routes such as the flat Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours to Chalon-sur-Saone, the mountain stage from Mulhouse to Le Markstein Fellering, and the individual time trial from Evian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains. Other notable segments include the mountain stage from Champagnole to Plateau de Solaison and the ascent from Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Alpe d'Huez.
For viewers in Canada, coverage is exclusively available via live streaming on FloBikes, with no traditional television broadcast. A FloBikes subscription provides access to live streams, event replays, and FloSports Originals. The event begins in July 2026 and concludes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
