YOU WONT BELIEVE: Tour de france 2026 - What They Never Told You

The Tour de France got underway with a team time trial in Barcelona on Saturday, July 4, with Visma-Lease a Bike putting in a stunning performance to deliver Jonas Vingegaard to the first maillot jaune.

The Dane retained the yellow jersey after stage 2, but relented on Monday after the race climbed the Pyrenees and into France, with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) winning stage 3. Now the Slovenian is back in yellow, with the two rivals tied on time on the GC.

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Who will win the Tour de France 2026? That's the question, and writers Matilda and James tried to answer it with our definitive ranking of the yellow jersey favourites.

As usual, you can read our comprehensive Tour de France team-by-team guide for a rundown of every single squad on the start list and their goals, leaders, ones to watch and more.

We also have expert analysis from Philippa York, who says that Jonas Vingegaard will try, but in reality, no one is likely to upset the Tadej Pogačar show.

Alasdair Fotheringham spoke to UAE Team Emirates' Head of Performance in an eye-opening Q&A about how they have constructed Pogačar's search for a fifth Tour title, with part 2 revealing the 'game changing' tool that has transformed the team's training.

Important Tour de France news

• All the special kits for the Tour de France - Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe unveil switch-out jersey
• Tour de France team-by-team guide – Line-up, leaders and ambitions for every squad on the start list
• How to watch the Tour de France 2026 – TV, streaming, official broadcasters for the biggest race in the world

2026 Tour de France start list

Who is riding the Tour de France?

The start list is taking shape as teams confirm their line-ups, and the riders who will be in action to support the likes of Pogačar, Vingegaard and Evenepoel.

See the Tour de France start list.

2026 Tour de France route

The 2026 Tour de France heads to Spain for the Grand Départ in Barcelona on July 4, 2026 where the race will begin with a team time trial.

It's been rare for a Grand Tour team time trial to land on the first stage, and the last time the Tour de France began with one, it was 1971, and the opening stage was an 11-kilometre TTT in Mulhouse, won by Eddy Merckx's Molteni team.

The Tour de France will have three stages in northern Spain, centred around Barcelona and the climb to Montjuïc, before entering France and the Pyrenees as early as stage 3 to Les Angles.

See the full details of the 2026 Tour de France route.

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How does the Tour de France work?

The 113th edition of the Tour de France starts in Barcelona on July 4 and ends three weeks later.

Riders have to cover all 21 stages of the 2026 Tour de France route.

The rider who completes the distance in the fastest time wins the race, also known as the 'overall classification'. Each day, the rider who has completed the entire distance raced the quickest is the leader of the Tour de France, and wears a yellow jersey to signify him as such.

There is a secondary time classification for the best rider under the age of 26, the best young riders' classification, and he wears a white jersey if leading.

Riders also gain points for their position at the end of each day of racing, known as "stages". There is a secondary prize for the rider who gains the most points - the points classification, and the leader each day wears a green jersey.

There are also points atop a select number of mountain passes for the first riders to cross the top, with more points available the harder the mountain is to climb. The leader of the mountains classification wears a white jersey with red polka dots.

Most days, the peloton race the distance of the Tour de France stage as a bunch. This year's Tour de France features two individual time trials, where riders race a set distance alone against the clock.

There are other prizes, too. Read about the Souvenir Henri Desgranges and Souvenir Jacques-Goddet.

Find out how to watch the Tour de France.

Get unlimited access to all of our coverage of the Tour de France - including breaking news and analysis reported by our journalists on the ground from every stage of the race as it happens and more. Find out more.