- Stage 13: Dole - Belfort
- Date: July 17, 2026
- Distance: 205.8km
- Start time: 13:00 CEST
- Finish time: 17:59 CEST
- Live updates: Tour de France stage 13 LIVE – Chance for breakaway success as race heads into the Vosges
"Tomorrow's stage is a bit of a weird one," was how race leader Tadej Pogačar described stage 13 to Eurosport broadcasters after a safe entry into Chalon-sur-Saône on Thursday.
At 205.8km, stage 13 is the longest stage of the Tour, and the only one over 200 kilometres. The terrain undulates toward the Swiss border, then tacks on two stiff climbs for late action. The profile favours breakaway specialists, and in his pre-Tour route comments, Race Directeur Christian Prudhomme said: "It could take some time for that group to form".
After back-to-back sprint stages, the opportunists in the peloton will want to capitalise on this challenging stage into Belfort.
- Points at finish: 50-30-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-7-6-5- 4-3-2
With under 63km to go, the only intermediate sprint of the day comes at Mélisey, the home of Thibaut Pinot, and riders can cast their eyes to the east to see the category 1 Ballon d'Alsace, 8.8 km at an average of 6.9%. But before that climb, the third-category Col des Croix (5.2km at 4.9%) needs to be completed with a run through the Moselle Valley.
The Ballon d’Alsace appeared at the Tour 121 years ago, becoming the first mountain stage of the race. Riders won't take any time for selfies at the top to memorialise the summit as a technical descent then offers a chance to open a gap and dive down into Belfort to claim victory.
Mountains
-
Col des Croix (cat. 3, 5.1km at 4.8%), km. 157.4
- 2-1 pts
-
Ballon d'Alsace (cat. 1, 8.9km at 6.9%), km. 175.9
- 10-8-6-4-2-1 pts
Sprints
-
Mélisey, km. 137.8
- 25-20-16-14-12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 pts
Time limit
Est. Speed |
Est. Winner Time |
Limit % |
Max Time Cut |
43 km/h |
4:47:10 |
14% |
0:40:12 |
42 km/h |
4:54:00 |
13% |
0:38:13 |
41 km/h |
5:01:10 |
12% |
0:36:08 |
40 km/h |
5:08:42 |
11% |
0:33:57 |
39 km/h |
5:16:37 |
10% |
0:31:40 |
