- Stage 2: Aigle - Geneva
- Date: August 2, 2026
- Distance: 147.9km
- Elevation gain: 1800 metres
- Start time: 14:20 CET
- Finish time: 17:47 CET
Despite five classified climbs along the 147.9km route, stage 2 is one for the sprinters.
The stage starts in Aigle, and the riders will pass the headquarters of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the World Cycling Centre (WCC) on the neutral roll-out before heading north, towards the shores of Lake Geneva.
After 15km along the lakeshore, passing through Montreux and Vevey, the race heads up the Côte de Chexbres, climbing the road that was used to descend towards the lake on stage 1. Giving Lausanne a wide berth, the race then heads west, climbing the Côte de Savigny and Côte de Cossonay before turning southwest and gradually getting closer to the lake again.
The intermediate sprint in Lavigny is closely followed by the last two climbs of the day, both cat. 3. The Côte de Bougy-Villars is only 900m long but very steep, climbing through the vineyards on the lake-facing southern slope of the Jura mountains at 10.4%, with the steepest section reaching 12.5%.
After a short plateau and a brief descent that is almost as steep, there is less than a kilometre to the foot of the Côte de Mont-sur-Rolle. These two climbs in rapid succession will put several sprinters in trouble, and stage 1 showed that teams aren’t afraid of starting the action from far out … but there are 47.4km from the top of the last climb to the finish in Geneva.
With the exception of an unclassified 4km climb and two very short ascents, none of them particularly steep, this run-in to the finish is almost always slightly downhill, offering ample time for sprinters to return to the peloton.
The last 8km along the shoreline of Lake Geneva should see the lead-out trains lined out side by side before the sprinters fight for victory on the Quai du Mont-Blanc, in front of the Jet d’Eau.
Wearing the yellow jersey after an impressive stage 1 victory, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) is the big favourite to win a second stage in a row. If she gets to the finishing straight without being completely out of position or boxed in, it is hard to see anyone match her acceleration.
Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) will try to challenge Wiebes and has an excellent lead-out woman in Lucinda Brand while Wiebes is lacking her usual last lead-out, Barbara Guarischi (though Lotte Kopecky and Mischa Bredewold are a more-than-adequate replacement).
Chiara Consonni (Canyon-SRAM) and Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal) provided lead-out work for their punchier teammates on stage 1, showing that they can easily master the hills and can be counted on to sprint in Geneva. Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) lost contact on the hardest climb of stage 1, but even if she is dropped again on stage 2, she should be able to come back in time for the sprint.
From Aigle, the riders will pass near the headquarters of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the World Cycling Centre (WCC) before heading towards the shores of Lake Geneva via Montreux and Vevey. The road will then rise, skirting slightly west to avoid Lausanne. The climbs are concentrated within a 66-kilometre stretch, the steepest being the Bougy-Villars ascent (0.9 km at 10.4%). The rolling terrain, with three short uncategorized climbs, in the descent toward Geneva, shouldn’t prevent the sprinters from battling it out in front of the Jet d’Eau at the end of the Quai du Mont-Blanc straight.
Climbs
- Côte de Chexbres (cat. 3, 3.2km at 5.6%), km. 31.7
- Côte de Savigny (cat. 4, 2.5km at 5%), km. 43.3
- Côte de Cossonay (cat. 4, 2km at 6%), km. 73.3
- Côte de Bougy-Villars (cat. 3, 0.9km at 10.4%), km. 94.7
- Côte de Mont-sur-Rolle (cat. 3, 2.3km at 6.5%), km. 100.5
Sprint
- Lavigny, km. 88.9 - points only to first 15 riders
