Tour de France 2026 preview: the contenders, sprinters and stage-hunters to watch
From four-time champion Tadej Pogačar to 19-year-old debutant Paul Seixas, a 3,333km route from Barcelona to Paris sets the stage. Here's who to watch across G…
Rouleur predicts... Giro Rosa stage 5
Lizzy Banks wins stage 4 of the Giro Rosa. The Rouleur panel got it spectacularly wrong — now they turn their attention to the flat stage 5 sprint.
Our panel of pundits lost their magic touch for the big 170km stage 4, but when it's the excellent - and rapidly-improving - Lizzy Banks who wins, we don't mind so much.
Hear Lizzy on our recent podcast, from 27 mins, because she's darned good value - and occasionally, a bit sweary.
A relatively flat 110km on the menu today. Who's your money on?
Terracina - Terracina (110km)
Olivia Kaferly
Elena Cecchini (Canyon-SRAM) Since the restart of racing for the women, there have not been that many chances for the sprinters to show their form. And it seems unfair to judge them on the basis of the few races we have had this summer. Normally I would go for someone like Jolien d’Hoore on a course like the one stage 5 offers, but d’Hoore hasn’t been anywhere near the front at the Giro and finished OTL at La Course. So I’m thinking Elena Cecchini is a better bet. She has had a string of strong performances this season, and Canyon-SRAM will be keen to get a proper result.
Andy McGrath
Liane Lippert (Team Sunweb) A day for the break as surely the GC hitters need a breather. My money's on one of Sunweb's young stage hunters who is clearly in flying form.
Ben Ward
Lizzie Deignan (Trek Segafredo) I don't think that lump in the middle will prove decisive so in what is sure to be a contested sprint, I'm going with Lizzie Deignan to claim the stage win.
Hannah Walker
Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit-WNT) Stage 5 is only 110km but riders have to tackle a roughly 20-minute climb in the middle. Lisa is in great shape, and is capable of making it over the climb with the best. The former World time trial champion has a phenomenal sprint on her for the finish in Terracina. She has finesse on a bike, knows where to save energy and is one of only a few people I know of who can read the tactics of a bike race so well.
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Tour de France bookies' favourites 2026: Who will win the yellow jersey?
From Pogačar and Vingegaard to Evenepoel and Roglič — Rouleur breaks down the leading Tour de France 2025 GC contenders and who has the best chance of glory.
Tour de France 2026 start list: The riders for this year’s race
All 176 riders confirmed for the Tour de France 2025 start list, with team selections ranging from GC contenders to sprint trains.
Question Time: Greg LeMond on gravel, Pogačar, and modern cycling
The three-time Tour de France winner on his LeMond Carbon start-up, the team he nearly built, his Eurosport days, and why he rates this as one of the best gene…
Africa Rising: The next young riders chasing the wheels of giants
African cycling has already given the sport Biniam Girmay and Kim Le Court. Jeremy Ford picks the Next Ten – ten riders aged 23 or under, from across the conti…
'There's a lot more to agency work than contracts' — Hannah Barnes and a fresh approach to rider management
The former professional cyclist now works for major football and cycling talent agency, SEG, and is using her experience to ensure that euros never take preced…
Tour de France prize money: How much does the winner receive?
With different jerseys, stage wins, and a GC classification, we look at what is awarded to the riders throughout the Tour de France
How to watch and live stream the Tour de France 2026
With a star-studded line-up heading to the Grand Départ in Lille, you won't want to miss any stages of the biggest race of the year
Dominant champions, a broken collarbone, and a calendar experiment worth keeping – the Tour de Suisse debrief
From Pogačar and Reusser's wins to an injury that could reshape the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, five days in Switzerland left plenty to think about
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In printIssue 144
The Tour Issue
Le Tour de France: a race defined by colour, passion and history, whose drama and romance continue to shape the identity of cycling’s greatest stage.
In printIssue 144
The Tour Issue
Le Tour de France: a race defined by colour, passion and history, whose drama and romance continue to shape the identity of cycling’s greatest stage.
