​After months of preparation, speculation, and discussion, questions will finally be answered at the Tour de France 2026. Tadej Pogačar remains the clear favorite, but his main rival Jonas Vingegaard may be at his best in years. When the Grand Départ rolls out on July 4 in Barcelona, there won’t be mountain attacks or a furious sprint for the win on Stage 1; instead, the stage promises to be historic and memorable in its own right, as it marks the first time since 1971 that the Tour de France opens with a team time trial. The opening 19.6-kilometer circuit around Barcelona will be one of three stages within Spain, before the action returns to France. This year’s edition marks the 27th foreign start and the third in Spain, following San Sebastián in 1992 and Bilbao in 2023.
Many teams and riders have already seen a preview of the TTT concept in Stage 3 of the recent Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes, where Team Visma | Lease a Bike clinched the win and should be even stronger at the Tour with Vingegaard in the lineup. As cycling’s premier event, the Tour de France will be packed with superstars, drama, and countless storylines. Will Vingegaard finally topple Pogačar in France for the first time since 2023? Can Pogačar achieve a historic three-peat and tie the record with a fifth overall victory? Or will a new star emerge on cycling’s biggest stage to begin a fresh legacy? The best way to find out is to follow our coverage from start to finish—from July 4 to July 26.
Fans in Canada can watch live on FloBikes and the FloSports app, with full highlights, interviews, recaps, and previews available on both platforms. After departing Spain, the race will traverse seven French regions and 29 departments, offering competitors, fans, and viewers a chance to experience the stunning and diverse French landscapes and centuries of history along the way. The three weeks of racing across Barcelona and France will feature eight mountain stages (including five summit finishes), seven flat stages, four hilly days, one individual time trial, and a team time trial to kick things off. For Canadian viewers, FloBikes’ Stage 1 coverage will begin at 10:55 a.m. Eastern and is expected to run until about 1:45 p.m. EDT.
Here’s what you need to know about Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2026: a 19.6-kilometer loop in Barcelona and the first Stage 1 team time trial since 1971. The team time trial isn’t a new concept, but the format has evolved. We’ll explain how it works and let you decide whether it’s more exciting now.