The Alps comes into play: Schedule and route for Stage 15 of the Tour

The Tour de France faces its last major test this Sunday before the rest day. After the battle in the Vosges, the peloton moves to the Alps for a stage that could once again shake up the general classification and finalize the differences among the podium contenders.

Preview of Stage 15 of the Tour de France 2026: the Plateau de Solaison tests the favorites before the rest

The day connects Champagnole with Plateau de Solaison over 183.9 kilometers and nearly 5,000 meters of accumulated elevation gain. Although the route includes several climbs from the start, all attention is focused on the final ascent, one of the toughest climbs of this edition and a perfect setting for climbers to measure their strength once again.

Schedule for Stage 15 of the Tour de France 2026

• Start: 13:10 h (CEST)
• Expected finish: between 17:41 and 18:11 h (CEST)
• Route: Champagnole - Plateau de Solaison
• Distance: 183.9 km
• Total ascent: about 5,000 meters
• Type of stage: high mountain

A stage that keeps all its toughness for the end

The first kilometers will force riders to climb from the start, although the first two climbs have moderate gradients and will mainly serve to select the breakaway. The real change of pace will come in the last 60 kilometers with the Col de la Croisette, the prelude to the finale.

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Everything will end at the Plateau de Solaison, an 11.3-kilometer ascent with an average gradient of 9.1% that hardly allows for any respite and includes numerous sections above 10%. After the fatigue of the last two days, any acceleration could lead to significant differences.

The big question will be UAE Team Emirates-XRG's strategy. Pogacar has shown throughout the Tour that he doesn't need many meters to create a gap, but he also arrives after a very demanding weekend. If his team decides to control the race, the victory should be resolved among the general classification men; if they give leeway to the breakaway, the climbers further back in the standings will have another opportunity.

Pogacar is once again the favorite

Tadej Pogacar starts once again as the clear favorite in a climb that rewards consistency and the ability to maintain a very high pace for over eleven kilometers. Jonas Vingegaard will try to take advantage of a more consistent climb than the Col du Haag to cut down differences, while Remco Evenepoel, Florian Lipowitz, Juan Ayuso, Paul Seixas, Mattias Skjelmose, and Isaac del Toro face another key day in the battle for the podium. If the breakaway gains enough advantage, Richard Carapaz, Tobias Halland Johannessen, Thymen Arensman, Egan Bernal, Ben Healy, or Valentin Paret-Peintre emerge among the most dangerous candidates.

With the rest day waiting at the end of the day, no one will have reasons to save energy. Plateau de Solaison offers the last opportunity to attack before recharging, and everything points to another day of maximum intensity in the mountains.