The fifth edition of the Tour de France Femmes is almost here! The 2026 route is a doozy, too. There are several tough stages, including Mont Ventoux, a first for the TdFF. So far there are five Canucks, too, although the start list is still not final. But still, that’s four more than the Tour de France Fellas (although national TT champ Derek Gee-West did a fine job representin’.)
Stage 1 of the Tour de France Femmes
The TdFF gets underway on Saturday with a tough little opening stage around Lausanne, Switzerland. While the route is officially classified as flat, it’s hardly that.
The 138-km opener packs in enough climbing to rule out a straightforward bunch sprint. It could very well see the race’s punchier riders fighting for the first yellow jersey.
The course
The peloton rolls out beside Lake Geneva before heading north toward Lake Neuchâtel. It starts off relatively gently, but the first categorized climb, the Côte de Châbles (1.6 km at 7.7 per cent), arrives before the race reaches its halfway point. That will wake up some legs.
The real selection begins later in the day. The climb to Villars-le-Comte (5.4 km at 5.8 per cent), followed by the Côte de Vulliens (3 km at 5.3 per cent), should break up the field.
The finale is where things get pretty interesting. With 2.6 km remaining, the road tilts upward at an average of 4.5 per cent. There are ramps that hit a brutal 12 per cent around 800 metres from the finish. The gradient eases in the final few hundred metres. So whoever is left has a beaut of a little launchpad to go for the sprint.
The favourites
Judging by the course, it’s hard to figure out who will come out on top. It will all come down to the dynamics of the race and which team burns matches. Lorena Wiebes will be among the favourites if she can stay with the front group over the final climb. But riders like Marianne Vos, Lotte Kopecky or Kim Le Court all have the versatility to give ‘er on this type of finish.
Demi Vollering will, of course, be in the mix as she tries to win the Tour again, as will defending champ Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Victoria’s Sarah Van Dam was just added to the start list, no surprise, really, and how great would her first pro win be if it involved a yellow jersey? She’s had a run of great rides this year in reduced bunch sprints.
Other Canadians confirmed are world champ Magdeleine Vallières Mill of Sherbrooke, Que., the new national champ Nadia Gontova of Richmond, B.C., Vermilion, B.C.’s Alison Jackson, and Guelph, Ont.’s Kiara Lylyk.
Each stage is broadcast on FloBikes.com, but if you miss it, be sure to check back on Canadian Cycling Magazine for a full report.
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