The longest stage of the Tour ends in the Vosges: schedules and favorites

The 2026 Tour de France abandons the stages reserved for sprinters and enters the Vosges this Friday with a stage that seems designed for the breakaway, although its profile presents a very different selection than usual

Tour de France 2026: stage 13 | More than 200 kilometers to find the most complete attacker

The 205.8 kilometers between Dole and Belfort make this thirteenth stage the longest of the entire edition and the only one that exceeds the 200-kilometer barrier. However, the only two categorized climbs are concentrated in the last hour of racing.

The combination is peculiar. Riders will have to expend a huge amount of energy to enter the break on predominantly favorable terrain and then conserve enough strength to tackle the Ballon d’Alsace and a descent that could be even more decisive if rain forecasts hold true.

Details of stage 13 of the Tour de France 2026

• Start: 13:00 h (CEST)
• Expected finish: between 17:46 and 18:12 h (CEST)
• Route: Dole - Belfort
• Distance: 205.8 km
• Total ascent: 2,363 meters
• Type of stage: medium mountain

A breakaway difficult to form and even more complicated to resolve

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The first 150 kilometers will advance northeast without major climbs that allow pure climbers to make a difference. The terrain will be mostly flat or rolling, a circumstance that could greatly prolong the battle to enter the front group.

Power will be as important as climbing ability. Riders like Filippo Ganna, Mathias Vacek, or Quinn Simmons will be better prepared to respond to high-speed attacks, while lighter riders will need to anticipate or hit the exact moment to avoid being blocked in the peloton.

The absence of difficulties for much of the route could also lead to a very large breakaway. If several teams manage to gain representation, the advantage could grow quickly because the general classification men will hardly want to take on a chase on the eve of two decisive mountain stages.

The only team with a different interest may be Lidl-Trek. Mads Pedersen continues to defend the green jersey and will have the intermediate sprint in Mélisey, 68 kilometers from the finish. If he considers it possible to surpass the Ballon d’Alsace, his team might try to control, although keeping the race together for more than 200 kilometers would come at a huge cost.

All selection concentrates in the last 50 kilometers

The character of the stage will change completely upon reaching the Col des Croix. Its 5.1 kilometers at 4.7% shouldn’t decide the victory, but they will serve to reveal which riders have suffered from accumulated fatigue.

After a short descent and a stretch through the valley, the Ballon d’Alsace will appear, the true dividing line between the candidates and the mere members of the break. The ascent features 8.7 kilometers at 6.9%, a constant gradient and sufficient length for climbers to impose their pace. Moreover, it comes after more than 175 kilometers of racing, so any weakness will be magnified.

The Ballon d’Alsace also holds a special place in the history of the race. It was the first major mountain ascended by the Tour in 1905, and it returns to the route 121 years after that appearance.

From the Ballon d’Alsace, there will still be about 30 kilometers to Belfort. The first 12 will be downhill, and the remaining 18 will maintain a favorable trend towards the finish.

In dry conditions, that stretch would offer the more powerful riders the opportunity to regain ground. A cyclist who loses a few seconds on the climb could reorganize, catch up with the climbers, and then take advantage of their greater speed.

The weather forecast complicates that scenario. After nearly two weeks of extreme heat, rain and possible storms are expected in the Vosges, with temperatures around 25 degrees.

A wet descent will significantly increase the importance of technique and the ability to take risks. Tom Pidcock, Marc Hirschi, or Mathieu van der Poel could compensate for small losses on the climb, while any mistake in a curve could end victory chances.

Climbers will need to open a sufficient gap before the summit. Rouleurs and classics specialists will try to stay close to the front, aware that the subsequent kilometers will favor them again.

Many candidates, but a very specific profile to win

Tobias Halland Johannessen stands out among the most complete names for this stage after coming close to victory in Ussel and demonstrating excellent form. Richard Carapaz, Alex Baudin, Valentin Paret-Peintre, and Kévin Vauquelin have the necessary ability to select the break on the Ballon d’Alsace, while Tom Pidcock has an additional advantage on the descent. Movistar Team may bet on Javier Romo, Raúl García Pierna, or Pablo Castrillo, although their options will depend on gaining representation in a break that will likely form at high speed. Mathieu van der Poel, Michael Matthews, Filippo Ganna, Marc Hirschi, Mauro Schmid, Quinn Simmons, and Mathias Vacek represent the opposite profile: powerful riders capable of entering the initial move and winning if they manage to limit damage on the final climb.

Stage 13 will not necessarily reward the best climber or the fastest rider. The winner will need to combine power to enter the break, endurance to withstand the longest day of the Tour, the ability to overcome the Ballon d’Alsace, and confidence to face a potentially wet descent.

After 150 kilometers of waiting, the race will compress into just one hour of attacks, selection, and risk. Belfort awaits the cyclist capable of completing all those tasks better than anyone else.