Tour de France Femmes to make history on Ventoux
The 2026 Tour de France Femmes begins in Lausanne on Saturday and will feature its first-ever ascent of Mont Ventoux, a landmark stage likely to shape the overall contest. The nine-stage race is its longest since returning as a World Tour stage race in 2022, and the iconic climb adds a major new test to the women’s event.
Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is among the favourites, but faces strong competition from former winner Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 champion. The 1,175km route includes a team time trial and a stage-four individual time trial, where Welsh debutant Zoe Bäckstedt may target success while supporting Canyon-SRAM’s general-classification campaign.
- Mont Ventoux will feature in the women’s Tour for the first time.
- Ferrand-Prévot faces Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney for overall victory.
- Zoe Bäckstedt makes her Tour debut after a strong domestic season.
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The Tour de France Femmes is a multi-stage road cycling race for women, with riders competing over several days and across different types of terrain. The overall winner is the rider with the lowest combined time; mountain stages can create large gaps because climbs test endurance and climbing ability.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney are among the leading contenders, having each won the race in recent years. Riders also race as members of teams, which can help a leader by setting the pace, sharing the workload or supporting them through difficult stages.
Mont Ventoux is a famous, demanding climb in southern France, often associated with decisive moments in the men’s Tour. Its place in the women’s race adds a new mountain challenge, while time trials—races against the clock—test riders and teams in a different way.