Mont Ventoux Will Decide the 2026 Tour de France Femmes

PARIS, France (23 October 2025) — The organisers unveiled the fifth edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift on Thursday evening at the Palais des Congrès, revealing a route that continues the race’s pilgrimage through France’s most iconic climbs. After conquering the Super Planche des Belles Filles, the Col du Tourmalet, Alpe d’Huez and the Col de la Madeleine in previous editions, the peloton will now face Mont Ventoux, where the Yellow Jersey could change hands.

The 1,175-kilometre route—the longest since the race’s rebirth—runs from 1 to 9 August, opening in Switzerland before building toward the Giant of Provence and concluding with two stages into Nice.

Switzerland hosts the Grand Départ with contrasting challenges. Stage one circles Lausanne over 137 kilometres, a parcours designed for the puncheurs. The sprinters get their chance the following day on the 149-kilometre run from Aigle to Geneva. Stage three crosses back into France, covering 157 kilometres from Geneva to Poligny.

The time triallists take centre stage in Burgundy on stage four, a 21-kilometre race against the clock from Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon that should separate genuine contenders from pretenders. The peloton catches its breath the following day with 140 kilometres through the Beaujolais hills from Mâcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais.

Stage six runs 153 kilometres from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône, positioning the race for its defining moment. On 7 August, stage seven departs La Voulte-sur-Rhône and passes through Bédoin before tackling the 15.7-kilometre ascent to the weather station atop Mont Ventoux—144 kilometres total that could crown a champion.

But the Bald Mountain may not deliver the final verdict. Two stages finish in Nice, either of which could reshuffle the general classification. Stage eight covers 175 kilometres from Sisteron, while the finale on stage nine loops 99 kilometres around Nice, climbing the Col d’Èze four times before descending to the Promenade des Anglais.

The route traces a compelling narrative across five editions. Annemiek van Vleuten’s masterclass on the Super Planche des Belles Filles in 2022, Demi Vollering’s riposte on the Col du Tourmalet in 2023, their breathless duel on Alpe d’Huez in 2024, and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s decisive attack on the Col de la Madeleine in 2025 set the stage for another high-mountain battle. The five editions combined now span 67 stage towns and cities across most of France’s metropolitan regions, plus three foreign countries, visiting cycling’s most hallowed ground where champions have delivered sporting gems—with more to come.

L’Étape du Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will tackle a modified version of stage seven on 6 August, departing Vaison-la-Romaine and joining the professional route approximately 70 kilometres from the finish. The amateur riders will sharpen their legs around the Dentelles de Montmirail before ascending Mont Ventoux from Bédoin, its most daunting approach. Registration opens 23 October.

Zwift, the race’s title sponsor, has extended its partnership through 2029, confirming its commitment to women’s cycling development. The partnership enabled the race’s rebirth in 2022 and now holds a prime position on the international calendar. Through its Watch The Femmes movement, Zwift works to increase visibility and participation for women in cycling—a commitment already reflected in record audiences and rising numbers of female cyclists on its platform.

THE ROUTE