The 2026 Tour de France startlist is locked in, with 184 riders set to do battle across 21 stages, cycling's greatest show welcome 50 new riders to the world's most prestigious race - including teenage superstar Paul Seixas, established riders hitting their peak and veterans enjoying their twilight...

After previewing the mountains competition, time to look at the points competition and the green jersey contenders.The points scalePoints are awarded at the finish line and at one intermediate point in the stage.Flat stages (Stages 5,7,8,11,12) 70-50-40-35-30-26-24-22- 20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2 points for the first 18 ridersHilly stages (Stages 4,13,17,21): 50-30-20-18- 16-14-12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2 points for the first 15Very hilly stages (Stages 2,3,9,18): 30-25-22-19-17-15-13-11-9-7-6-5-4-3-2 pointsVery difficult stages + ITT (Stages 6,10,14,15,16): 20-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 pointsIntermediate sprits 25-20-16-14-12-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 pointsThis scale is new for 2026 with more for the very flat stages, eg 70-50-40 for the first three when last year the flat and hilly stages saw 50-30-20 and so on. Also the intermediate sprints get a boost too, they now offer 25 to the winner when it was 20 last year. This tilts the competition even more to the pure sprinters.The routeThere are only five obvious sprint stages, see for yourself with all the stage profiles on one page at inrng.com/tour.Stage 17 stands out as a day where a strong team like Lidl-Trek can hope to break the peloton early and distance sprinters so their house sprinter, in this case Mads Pedersen, can win the intermediate sprint.Similarly Stages 18 and 19 also see the intermediate sprint placed later in the stage which allows a raider capable of going clear to score. But by when what if a sprinter has managed to take three stage wins and thrived in the intermediate sprints too?The ContendersTim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) is the probably fastest sprinter at the moment but aged 33 hes never sat comfortably or durably on the throne, in part because hes a modest man rather than the alpha egocentric sprinters were used to. See the recent Tour of Belgium where he won a stage but got beaten on other days. Or last years Tour where he won every Tour sprint he could contest but was also thwarted by splits and crashes. He is the example of why competition is about arithmetic and not speed: he ought to win a stage but taking the green jersey is a big ask. Hell need to rule the roost with multiple stage wins to build up a lead.Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-PremierTech) won this competition 2023 and has been runner-up twice and has some versatility to get over climbs when other sprinters cannot and gets the boost of lead-outs from Mathieu van der Poel who deliver him into position in a way nobody else can. Van der Poel himself ought to be a green jersey contender on paper but mentally having to hunt for points every day is not his style, hed probably prefer the thrill of going all in for a stage win.Embed from Getty ImagesBiniam Girmay (NSN) has found winning ways again. He took three stages and the green jersey in 2024 but then didnt win a race again until this year. But if hes back hes yet to establish a winning streak but he has been placing regularly. Helpfully hes got a team in his service so if he can show the speed and versatility again hes got a strong chance of repeating.Embed from Getty ImagesOlav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM) has been an heir apparent for the sprint crown and now starts his first Tour de France. He moved teams in order to be at the Tour but hes missed most of the season with illness and the rise of Paul Seixas threatened to eclipse him but hes here after three wins in nine days of racing. Hes got light support but teams dont have long sprint trains these days and Cees Bol is a good helper but theyre not used to each other. The sense is a stage win comes first and then what comes after is a bonus. There is a question over form as if hes back to winning, coping with a grand tour is another challenge. But all the sprints come in the first half.Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) sat out the Tour last summer to give Jonathan Milan a go. Pedersen doesnt have the pure speed but neither did points competition record holder Peter Sagan against Mark Cavendish et al, indeed he could win the green jersey without winning a stage thanks to placing in some sprints and by making raids in the mountains and using his team to break the peloton on the climbs. Pedersen will aim to mimic this, hell have it hard winning bunch sprints outright against the names cited already but his advantage comes on hillier terrain but these days are rare, plus his team also have other goals too. Hes still hunting for his first win of the season too. However in his prime he can be in sizzling form.Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Intermarch) excels in slow sprints, races that end with a gradual rise to the line only there are none on this years route. He hasnt got his usual lead-out entourage either, it feels like hes been picked because hes the teams star rider, but not backed all the way because hes leaving the team soon.Dorian Godon (Ineos) is good on hard days but is more likely to pick a stage rather than try every day and hell likely lose when it comes to the new points scale which reward the pure sprinters too.Milan Fretin (Cofidis) could be Wout van Aerts body double and a rising prospect but he and his team would sign for a stage win today.Tadej Pogaar (UAE)? Hes on 21 stage wins and will surely win more and he finished second last year, 78 points behind Jonathan Milan in Paris. Last years route really suited with a first week that actually saw him take green thanks to a series of punchy uphill finishes. This year can see him hustle for results and wins in the first week but there are fewer opportunities. In short he didnt win it last year, the course is less auspicious and the points scale has changed too.Talking tacticsOnly a handful of teams come with a full sprint set-up: namely a top sprinter, a quality lead-out and a couple of workhorse riders to reel in breakaways. Soudal-Quickstep, NSN and Alpecin-PremierTech fit the bill here.The tactics could be interesting to watch, will Quickstep and Alpecin commit to all the work knowing the likes of Cofidis, Decathlon, Lotto, Bahrain (for Bahaus), Uno-X (Wrenskjold), Astana-XDS (Kanter), Picnic-PostNL (Bittner), Caja Rural (Gaviria) and Tudor (De Kleijn) might try to hold-off or even send riders up the road, all while having their sprint cards in the finish too? This could see a sprint stage going to the breakaway but only on terrain to help, think Stage 12 because the amount of sprinters here still means on flat days even Caja Rural will back Gaviria rather than gamble on the break.Philipsen, GirmayKooij, MerlierPedersenThe post Tour de France Points Competition first appeared on The Inner Ring.

The Tour de France 2026 will begin on Saturday 4 July in Barcelona, as Tadej Pogaar and Jonas Vingegaard once again fight it out for the yellow jersey.The race begins with a team time trial in Spain, before the race enters France on stage three, with five mountain ranges, punchy days, sprint opportunities, and an individual time trial on the route.Tour de France: Free StreamsFree Streams: SBS (Australia), France TV (France), RAI (Italy) RTBF (Belgium), RTVE (Spain), NOS (Netherlands)Watch Anywhere: Unlock your free stream with NordVPN (75% off)For many riders and fans alike, the Tour is the season's peak the biggest stage where the greatest stars challenge each other over some of cycling's most legendary battlefields.The race enters the Pyrenees as early as stage three. Following that mountain range the race heads north to Bordeaux before cutting diagonally across the country, through the Massif Central, onto the Vosges, before heading down into the Alps and two stage finishes up Alpe d'Huez.Alongside Pogaar and Vingegaard, Tom Pidcock, Paul Seixas, Remco Evenepoel and Mathieu van der Poel are among the stars to watch over the three weeks of the French Grand Tour.Below, Cycling Weekly has gathered all the key information on broadcasters and live streams so you can watch the Tour de France wherever you are.Quick guide to watching the Tour de FranceUK: TNT Sports /HBO Max (30.99/mon)US: Peacock ($10.99/mon)Canada: Flobikes ($49.99/mon)Australia: SBS (Free)Free live streams: SBS (Australia), France TV (France), RAI (Italy) RTBF (Belgium), RTVE (Spain), NOS (Netherlands)Anywhere: Watch your local stream from anywhere with NordVPNCan I watch the Tour de France for free?Fans in Australia, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands can watch the Tour de France for free.In Australia, the race is being shown on TV and online by SBS, the country's public service broadcaster. Streaming is available at SBS On Demand, with linear viewing available on SBS Viceland.In France itself, the Tour de France will also be shown live via host broadcaster France Tlvisions, with the action on France 2 or France 3 and online via France.TV.In Italy through RAI Play online, in Belgium on RTL and VRT, in Spain on RTVE, and in the Netherlands on NOS are also all free.Coverage is geo-restricted, so if you're not in any of these countries right now, and these channels are your usual port of call, you'll need a VPN to get your usual coverage while abroad more on that below.How to watch the Tour de France while abroadMost streaming platforms have geo-restrictions these days, which means they only work in certain countries. But being locked out of the races is a thing of the past thanks to a VPN.A Virtual Private Network is a piece of internet security software that can alter your device's location, so you can unblock your usual streaming services, even when you're abroad. Unlock your Tour de France stream with NordVPNWith super fast connections, multi-device support and able to unlock any platform, NordVPN is our favourite for streaming. 30-day money back guarantee 3 months extra free 75% offGet NordVPN today and unlock your streaming service from anywhere in the world.View Deal Should I use a VPN to watch cycling? Explaining the benefits, costs, considerations, and best VPNs for streaming the racesHow to watch the Tour de France in the UKIn the UK, the race will be shown live across TNT Sports and HBO Max. Live streaming is available on HBO Max, with linear viewing on TNT Sports. Plans start at 25.99 per month, with rolling subscriptions available at 30.99.However, if you just want to watch highlights, these will be on free-to-air channel 5 every evening, as part of a new deal.How to watch the Tour de France in the US and CanadaFor US viewers, this year's coverage of the Tour de France is going to be on NBC and PeacockBoth outlets come from the same NBCUniversal stable, with NBC available on many cable packages and Peacock which is set to show all 21 stages live on a pay per month basis. It'll cost you $7.99, or you can go ad-free for $13.99.Meanwhile, in Canada, Flobikes is in charge of broadcasting the Tour de France in Canada. Subscriptions cost CA$39.99 a month, with big savings for long-term plans. The Flobikes TV app is available on Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Apple TV, as well as on iOS and Android.What to expect at the Tour de FranceThe Tour de France 2026 will be the 113th edition of what most bike racing fans view as the greatest bike race in the world. It will cover 3,333km over the course of three weeks and 21 stages with two rest days along the way.Starting on Saturday 4 July, the French Grand Tour begins in Barcelona with a team time trial, and then another lumpy stage in Spain, before it heads north to France to finish stage three in the Pyrenees.From there, the race deals with the Pyrenees early, then cuts through the Massif Central up to the Vosges, then through the Jura to the Alps, where there is a showdown on Alpe d'Huez with two stages back-to-back on the antepenultimate and penultimate days. The race ends on Sunday 26 July in Paris with a repeat of the Montmartre circuit which was such a success last year.There are multiple contenders for the famous yellow jersey, but Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) stands above them all. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) will attempt to the do the double after he won the Giro d'Italia in May. Remco Evenepoel is back, but with a new team in Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, where he will share leadership with last year's third-place, Florian Lipowitz, while the hopes of France hinge on the success of 19-year-old Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM).In between all those, there's a hatful of sprinters, puncheurs, and climbers who will be hoping to make their mark with a stage win.2026 Tour de France stage start and finish timesStageDateStartFinishDistanceTerrainStart timeEst. finish timeStage 14 JulyBarcelonaBarcelona19km TTT4:05pm BST / 11:05am EST6:16pm BST / 1:16pm EST Stage 25 JulyTarragoneBarcelona182kmHilly12:45pm BST / 7:45am EST4:26pm BST / 11:26am ESTStage 36 JulyGranollersLes Angles196kmMountains11:10am BST / 6:10am ES3:54pm BST / 10:54am ESTStage 47 JulyCarcassonneFoix182kmMountains12:10pm BST / 7:10am EST 4:23pm BST / 11:23am ESTStage 58 JulyLannemezanPau158kmFlat1:05pm BST / 8:05am EST4:37pm BST / 11:37am ESTStage 69 JulyPauGavarnie-Gdre186kmMountains11:25am BST / 6:25am EST 4:29pm BST / 11:29am ESTStage 710 JulyHagetmauBordeaux175kmFlat12:15pm BST / 7:15am EST4:13pm BST / 11:13am ESTStage 811 JulyPrigueuxBergerac182kmFlat12:15pm BST / 7:15am EST4:20pm BST / 11:20am ESTStage 912 JulyMalemortUssel185kmHilly12:35pm BST / 7:35am EST4:47pm BST / 11:47am ESTRest dayStage 1014 JulyAurillacLe lioran167kmMountain12:10pm BST / 7:10am EST4:10pm BST / 11:10am ESTStage 1115 JulyVichyNevers161kmFlat1:05pm BST / 8:05am EST4:40pm BST / 11:40am ESTStage 1216 JulyCircuit Nevers Magny-CoursChalon-sur-Sane181kmFlat12:40pm BST / 7:40am EST4:40pm BST / 11:40am ESTStage 1317 JulyDoleBelfort205kmHilly12:20pm BST / 7:20am EST5pm BST / 12pm ESTStage 1418 JulyMulhouseLe Markstein Fellering155kmMountain12:30pm BST / 7:30am EST4:40pm BST / 11:40am ESTStage 1519 JulyChampagnolePlateau de Solaison184kmMountain12:20pm BST / 7:20am EST4:55pm BST / 11:55am ESTRest dayStage 1621 JulyEvian les BiansThonon-les-Bains26kmITT12pm BST / 7am EST4:50pm BST / 11:50am ESTStage 1722 JulyChamberyVoiron175kmFlat 12:35pm BST / 7:35am EST4:28pm BST / 11:28am ESTStage 1823 JulyVoironOrcires-Merlettee185kmMountain11:50am BST / 6:50am EST4:25pm BST / 11:25am ESTStage 1924 JulyGapAlpe d'Huez128kmMountain1:15pm BST / 8:15am EST4:34pm BST / 11:34am ESTStage 2025 July Le Bourg d'oisainsAlpe d'Huez171kmMountain10:30am BST / 5:30am EST3:29pm BST / 10:29am ESTStage 2126 JulyThioryParis Champs-lyses130kmFlat3:25pm BST / 10:25am EST6:40pm BST / 1:40pm ESTStageDayStartFinishDistanceEstimated stage times (CET)18 MayNessebar Burgas147km13:40-17:0529 MayBurgasVeliko Tarnavo221km12:00-17:02310 MayPlovdivSofia175km13:05-17:02Rest Day11 May412 MayCatanzaroCozenza138km13:40-17:03513 MayPraiaa MarePotenza203km12:15-17:00614 MayPaestumNapoli142km12:45-17:04715 May FormiaBlockhaus244km10:50-16:53816 MayChietiFermo156km13:15-17:04917 MayCerviaCorno alle Scale184km12:35-17:00Rest Day18 May10 (ITT)19 MayViareggioMassa42km13:15-17:141120 MayPorcariChiavari195km12:35-17:021221 May ImperiaNovi Ligure175km13:00-17:011322 MayAlessandriaVerbania189km12:40-17:001423 MayAostaPila133km12:55-16:581524 MayVogheraMilano157km14:00-17:07Rest Day25 May1626 MayBellinzonaCar113km13:45-17:011727 MayCassano d'AddaAndalo202km12:10-17:001828 MayFai della PaganellaPieve di Soligo171km13:15-17:041929 MayFeltreAlleghe151km12:30-16:542030 MayGemona del Friuli 1979-2026Piancavallo200km11:00-15:592131 MayRomaRoma131km15:25-18:36We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. 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This week we're covering parking panic at Wimbledon, the return of TFL's free Cycle Sundays, and an unusually sensible e-biking decision on the other side of the Atlantic

With the 2026 Tour de France just days away, the transfer market is heating up around one of the pelotons standout names. According to Italian journalist Beppe Conti of Radiocorsa, as many as three French teams are closely monitoring the situation of Isaac del Toro, one of UAE Team Emirates XRGs b...

When you think of Chris Froome, what do you picture? Is it that victory on La Planche des Belles Filles at the Tour de France in 2012, ahead of Bradley Wiggins, as he announced himself on the world stage? Is it his dominant performances in 2013 and 2015, as he became the first British rider to win the Tour twice? Is it any of the madness of his third Tour crown in 2016, the running up Mont Ventoux, the attack off the Peyresourde to victory, or getting in a breakaway with Peter Sagan? Is it his surge to victory at the 2018 Giro d'Italia, the epic on the Colle delle Finestre? There's so much to choose from.Or is it anything after the horror crash he suffered at the Dauphin in 2019? The five years at Israel-Premier Tech, which saw only eight top-20 finishes, and two individual top-10s? Is the Chris Froome you think of the one who finished 97th at the Tour de Suisse last year, or 113th at the Vuelta a Espaa in 2022, the rider who won the whole race twice? Is it even his use of asthma drug salbutamol in 2017, which he received an adverse analytical finding for, over which he was exonerated? There's Froome the influencer, the brand ambassador, the figurehead, as opposed to Froome the great racer. It feels almost a shame that the memories of the two have become blurred.Three years ago, when asked if Froome has been value for money, Israel-Premier Tech's owner, Sylvan Adams, told Cycling Weekly: Absolutely not. How could we say we had value for money? We signed Chris to be the leader of our Tour de France team and hes not even here so that cannot be considered value for money. This is not a PR exercise. Chris isnt a symbol, he isnt a PR tool, hes supposed to be our leader at the Tour de France and hes not even here, so no I couldnt say hes value for money, no.Looking back, it's easy to suggest that Froome should have retired while he was at the top, and not had this public battle with form and relevance. It's true, we might have a very different view of Froome if he had left the sport in 2019. However, who are we to deny Froome the opportunity to keep on racing, which he clearly loved, given he was offered a five-year contract to keep doing his job. He suffered from serious injuries, and bounced back, wanting to return to the top his commitment should be respected.Froome's retirement, long-expected, long-trailed, long-awaited, was finally confirmed this week. The truth is, in time, we will remember Froome the rider, the dominant stage racer of his generation, the man who made the Tour de France predictable before Tadej Pogaar was even an adult. A short list of British riders who have won more than one Grand Tour: Chris Froome, Simon Yates. An even shorter list of British riders who have won more than two Grand Tours: Chris Froome. That's his legacy.

Juan Ayuso will lead Lid-Trek at the 2026 Tour de France, but has seen his preparations for the race interrupted by a last minute injury. The 23-year-old finished fourth overall at last month'sTour Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes but picked up an illness in the race's final weekend. The Spanish climber turned...

The 2026 Tour de France will roll out on July 4th in Barcelona with a team time trial unlike any we have seen before. The organisers have adopted the innovative format debuted at ParisNice 2023, a rule tweak that will completely reshape team strategy and the way riders tackle the opening kilometres...