Cycling in Yorkshire & Beyond
Cycling in Yorkshire & Beyond
Stage 12 | Stage 13 | Stage 14
Stage 13 of the Tour de France 2026 is a 205.8km hilly stage from Dole to Belfort, and includes a climb of the Ballon d'Alsace.
It's the only stage on this year's Tour above 200km. The route takes in Thibaut Pinot's home village of Mélisey.
The race organisers expect this to be a breakaway day, but with the breakaway taking a long time to form.
The crucial point in the race will be the Ballon d'Alsace, where the strongest member(s) of the lead group will make the difference.
Of course, it's not impossible that this turns into a GC day, with Pogacar gobbling up the remnants of the break and taking the win.
Race Details | Poll | Map & Profile | Timings | Videos | Food & Drink | Route Notes | Favourites
| Date | Friday 17th July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Stage classification | Hilly |
| Distance | 205.8km |
| Intermediate sprint | Mélisey |
| Climbs | Col des Croix (Cat. 3) Ballon d'Alsace (Cat. 1) |
| Total climbing | 2,400m |
Vote for one of the main contenders to win Stage 13 (to be added later).
This is a map of the route of Stage 13, Tour de France 2026.
This is the profile of Stage 13 Tour de France 2026.
| Caravan | Fast Schedule | Slow Schedule | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Time (départ fictif) | 1045 |
1300 |
1300 |
| Start Time (départ réel) | 1105 |
1320 |
1320 |
| Intermediate Sprint | 1422 |
1612 |
1628 |
Col des Croix Climb |
1450 |
1641 |
1700 |
| Ballon d'Alsace Climb | 1516 |
1712 |
1736 |
| Finish Line (205.8km) | 1559 |
1746 |
1812 |
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This is a video of the route of Stage 13 Tour de France 2026.
The last time the Tour de France climbed the Ballon d'Alsace was on Stage 6 of the 2019 edition from Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles.
Stage 13 is in the Vosges, immediately west of the Rhine valley and the Haut-Rhin wine region. The grapes used to make Haut-Rhin wines are primarily Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat and Gewürztraminer.
Food to go with Haut-Rhin wines includes Tarte Flambée (a bit like pizza) and Pot-au-Feu (stew).
Farmhouses in the Vosges mountains will offer Alsatian sauerkraut, Roigabrageldi (potatoes with onion and bacon), Munster cheese, and blueberry pie.
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The stage starts in Dole (départ fictif).
Dole is a town in the Jura département, on the Doubs river. The population is 23,312.
Historically, it was the capital of the Franche-Comté. Louis XIV beseiged Dole, conquered the town, and made it part of France (1674).
Louis Pasteur was born in Dole in 1822. Pasteur was a pioneer of microbiology. He created the first vaccine for rabies, and invented the process now called pasteurisation.
The EuroVelo route 6 goes through Dole and along the Doubs valley to Besançon, then on to Switzerland.
Dole is twinned with Northwich in Cheshire, UK; Lahr, Baden-Württemburg, Germany; and Carlow, Ireland.
The départ réel is in the outskirts of Dole, near Falletans.
The race passes through Dampierre and Satin-Vit, before crossing the A36 autoroute to Lavernay and Marnay.
Now Stage 13 follows the Ognon river to Chambornay-lès-Pin, Etuz and Boulot, before diverging north east to Boult and Rioz.
On the D15 the race continues north east, and meets the Ognon river again at Montbozon.
Next, the riders follow the D29 to Rougemont.
Now Stage 13 heads north on the D486 to Lure.
The race continues north north east, still by the Ognon, to Mélisey for the intermediate sprint.
The intermediate sprint at Mélisey comes after 137.8km raced.
The location of the sprint has been chosen to honour Thibaut Pinot. His farm, which famously includes goats, is at Mélisey.
From Mélisey the road starts to rise, and soon the riders reach the first of the day's two categorised climbs, the Col des Croix.
The Col des Croix is 5.1km at 4.8%, to a height of 678m. The top is
at the 157.4km mark.
The descent is to Le Thillot.
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From Le Thillot, the race route arcs round on the N66, following the Moselle south east through Fresse-sur-Moselle to Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle.
The peloton is riding part of the route of Stage 20 Tour de France 2023, but in the opposite direction.
At Saint-Maurice, the race leaves the N66 and takes the D465 up the Ballon d'Alsace.
The Ballon d'Alsace climb is 8.9km at an average 6.9% to a height of 1,173m after 175.9km raced.
There are a lot of hairpin bends on the descent of the Ballon d'Alsace to Giromagny.
The riders then continue by the Savoureuse river to Sermamagny.
Stage 13 finishes in Belfort.
At Sermamagny, the riders take the D5 Desserte du Pays Sous-Vosgien. This looks like another little hill, to about 430m.
The race then takes the D13 Avenue Jean Moulin past the Etang des Forges and onto the Quai Vauban. There, the riders cross the river and reach the finishing straight.
The finish is on Rue Georges Clémenceau/Boulevard Maréchal Joffre, and the line is by Place de la Résistance.
This is the profile of the last 5km of Stage 13.
Belfort is a city of 47,000 people in north eastern France, about 25km from the Swiss border. It's on the Savoureuse river.
Belfort was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but was transferred to France in 1648 at the end of the Thirty Years War.
Belfort was besieged during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), but remained French. It was bombarded by the Germans in World War I.
In World War II, Belfort was occupied by Nazi Germany, and liberated in November 1944.
Heavy engineering dominates the economy. Alstom, who built the first TGVs, are based in Belfort.
Belfort is twinned with Stafford (UK).
Favourites for Stage 13 of the 2026 Tour de France will be the Classics specialists and breakaway artistes. If Mads Pedersen gets in the breakaway and survives the hills, he could win - but will the Ballon d'Alsace be too much for him?
Who do you think will win Stage 13 of the 2026 Tour de France?
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