The Tour de France Femmes 2026 kicks off on Saturday, August 1 in Lausanne, promising a challenging route that will test the mettle of the world's top female cyclists. This year’s race features a grueling nine stages, culminating in Nice on Sunday, August 9.

Among the frontrunners is Demi Vollering, the reigning champion from 2023, who has been in exceptional form, having recently won the Giro d’Italia and several prestigious races including Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Tour of Flanders. Her FDJ Suez-United team, built around her, includes talented climbers like Evita Muzic and Franziska Koch.

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, last year's champion, aims to defend her title despite a mixed season. Her highlights include a second-place finish at the Tour of Flanders and a third at Paris-Roubaix, but she has struggled elsewhere. The inclusion of Mont Ventoux in the route may favor her strengths, although the individual time trial is better suited to Vollering.

Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 champion, consistently performs well at the Tour, supported by her Canyon-SRAM squad. However, her time trial capabilities may limit her competitive edge against Vollering.

Another contender, Zoe Backstedt, makes her Tour debut and is expected to target a stage win in the individual time trial on stage four.

Paula Blasi, a young talent from Spain, will co-lead UAE Team L'IMAD alongside Elisa Longo Borghini, potentially adding excitement to the mix with her impressive climbing skills.

Marlen Reusser, leader of Movistar, aims to bounce back from a rough season and capitalize on her time-trialing prowess as the reigning world champion.

Fans in the UK can catch the action live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, with subscriptions starting at £25.99 per month.