2026 Tour de France

Twenty-three teams will take part in the race. All 18 UCI WorldTeams were automatically invited. They will be joined by five UCI ProTeams: the three highest ranked UCI ProTeams in 2025 (Tudor Pro Cycling Team, Pinarello–Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team and Cofidis), along with two teams (Team TotalEnergies and Caja Rural–Seguros RGA) selected by Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the organisers of the Tour.^[2] The teams were announced on 30 January 2026.^[2]

Media noted that Unibet Rose Rockets had expected to be invited, however Caja Rural-Seguros RGA was chosen instead – with Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme explaining that Caja Rural-Seguros RGA had performed well in 2025, including finishing fourth in the team classification at the 2025 Vuelta a España.^[2][3]

UCI WorldTeams

• Alpecin–Premier Tech
• Decathlon CMA CGM
• EF Education–EasyPost
• Groupama–FDJ United
• Lidl–Trek
• Lotto–Intermarché
• Movistar Team
• Netcompany INEOS
• NSN Cycling Team
• Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe
• Soudal–Quick-Step
• Team Bahrain Victorious
• Team Jayco–AlUla
• Team Picnic–PostNL
• Visma–Lease a Bike
• UAE Team Emirates XRG
• Uno-X Mobility
• XDS Astana Team

UCI ProTeams

• Caja Rural–Seguros RGA
• Cofidis
• Pinarello–Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
• Team TotalEnergies
• Tudor Pro Cycling Team

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

In February 2025, race organisers ASO announced that Barcelona in Spain would host the Grand Départ.^[4] This marks the third time the Grand Départ has been held in Spain, following San Sebastián in 1992 and Bilbao in 2023. ^[5] Both stage 1 and 2 will finish on the Montjuïc hill above Barcelona, next to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys used for the 1992 Summer Olympics.^[6] The team time trial will return to the Tour for the first time since 2019, and will use new rules first tested at the 2023 Paris–Nice. In this format, each rider is given an individual finish time, rather than all riders who finish together getting the same time. This format allows tactics by general classifications contenders – whether to ride as a team, or ride solo to achieve a better time.^[6]

Following protests against the Gaza war that disrupted the 2025 Vuelta a España, the City Council of Barcelona expressed a desire to host the Grand Départ without the Israel–Premier Tech team taking part. It was noted that the team was likely to have an automatic invitation to the Tour.^[7][8] Protesters noted that if Israel–Premier Tech are present, protests in Barcelona were "very likely".^[8] The Israel–Premier Tech team subsequently rebranded as NSN Cycling Team for the 2026 season, riding under a Swiss license.^[9]

Rumours regarding the route included a return to Alpe d'Huez for the first time since the 2022 edition and a final stage on Montmartre in Paris – following the large crowds and high television viewership of the final stage in 2025.^[10][11]

The full route was announced on 23 October 2025 by Christian Prudhomme, with Prudhomme describing the route as having a "crescendo" towards the finish.^[12][13] The race will feature 5 summit finishes, including Plateau de Solaison for the first time and two finishes at Alpe d'Huez.^[14] The race will feature just 26 km (16 mi) of individual time trial, with a team time trial starting the Tour for the first time since 1971.^[14] Some stages in the race will feature multiple intermediate sprints, for the first time since the 2010 edition of the race.^[15] Reacting to the route, Cyclist noted that the route was "ripe for breakaways"^[16] and Rouleur considered that the route would suit four-time winner Tadej Pogačar stating "the Slovenian superstar can do everything".^[17] Critiquing the route in Cycling Weekly, Ned Boulting wrote that "there's no cobblestones, no obvious crosswind stages, and no gravel. [...] They have denuded this year [and that] feels a little bit disappointing".^[18]