Tour de France 2026 Favourites stage 9: Attackers in the Massif Central

fotobureau Cor VosThe last stage before the first rest day offers the perfect opportunity for another full-on effort. The roads are either climbing or descending all day long. Sprinters will feel queasy just looking at the profile, while GC riders are unlikely to see much to gain or lose. Enter: the attackers! (Slideshow route/profile)

First published on 25 June - last update 12 July: weather forecast updated

A string of climbs dot the route from Malemort to Ussel. From the very start the road tilts upwards, and by the time the riders reach kilometre 47 they will already have tackled three ascents. Only the final one in the sequence is deemed KOM-worthy, but they will undoubtely have taken their toll. The pace is expected to be high from the start with attacks coming thick and fast, as this is the kind of stage that every rider with a sense of adventure has marked down as a chance for eternal glory.

Sure. the route for stage 9 has been altered because of the heat, but the list of favourites remains unchanged.

Points for the mountains classification are on offer on the climb towards kilometre 47, the Côte des Naves (2.3 kilometres at 7.4%), and KOM contenders will need to be alert in the punishing mid-section that follows, with plenty of points still up for grabs on the Puy de Lachaud (3.6 kilometres at 5.3%), Suc au May (3.8 kilometres at 7.7%), the Côte de la Croix de Pey (7 kilometres at 4.9%) and Mont Bessou (900 metres at 7.3%).

Still 24.5 kilometres remain atop the Mont Bessou, which is a relatively straightforward section.

As GC contenders won’t be bothered by this kind of terrain – with little to gain or lose – the door will be wide open for a group of attackers to go all-in. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the break to go clear. It could easily be only halfway through the race, which would make it a must-see stage.

Favourites 9th stage - 2026 Tour de France

*** Mathieu van der Poel, Tom Pidcock, Mathias Vacek, Pablo Castrillo
** Romain Grégoire, Lennert Van Eetvelt, Mads Pedersen, Marco Frigo, Luke Plapp
* Richard Carapaz, Michael Storer, Alex Aranburu, Mauro Schmid, Clément Braz Afonso

Weather forecast:
It's no surprise the route has been shortened, as the heatwave in France shows no sign of letting up. Conditions will be particularly brutal at the start of the stage through the Massif Central, making it even harder to get into the breakaway. Which riders will fancy their chances in these demanding conditions?

Start: 39°C, sunny, south-westerly wind (9 km/h)
Finish: 34°C, sunny, westerly wind (11 km/h)

Another interesting read: route 9th stage 2026 Tour de France.