The 2026 Tour de France will open with a short, fast, team time-trial in Barcelona on Saturday, the first round of the battle to decide who will wear the coveted yellow jersey on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Many of the tougher mountainous stages are packed into the final week, but there will be opportunities to make a difference before then.
Now that Paul Seixas has officially joined the 2026 Tour de France, he faces a series of key moments that he will need to manage in order to take his bike as far as possible. From the start of the race this Saturday in Barcelona, the 184 riders across 23 teams will need to keep a close eye on five stages that could determine who, if anyone, can dethrone reigning champion Tadej Pogacar.
