Aurillac boasts a rich Tour de France history. La Grande Boucle has visited the town on the River Jordanne fifteen times, most recently in 2014. That stage set off for Villeneuve-sur-Lot, where Biniam Girmay sprinted to victory.
A bunch sprint is not on the cards this time, as the route is far more demanding. The riders enjoy gentle rolling terrain over the first 65 kilometres, but then the climbing commences with the Côte de Pailherols. The 3.3 kilometres test at 6.5% is a mere appetiser compared to what lies ahead.
After almost 100 kilometres, the peloton tackles the first official climb, the Col de la Griffoul (5.9 kilometres at 6.7%), followed by the Col de Prat de Bouc (3.2 kilometres at 5.8%) and, straight from the descent, the Côte de Murat (6.6 kilometres at 4.4%). In truth, these are still little more than warm-ups for the Grande Finale.
The race really ignites on the Puy Mary – also called Pas de Peyrol – a climb of 7.8 kilometres at 6%, with the final 2.2 kilometres ramping up to 8.8%. After an 8-kilometre descent, it’s straight back uphill on the Col de Pertus, 4.4 kilometres long and averaging 8.5%. The summit comes with 14.6 kilometres remaining.
A 6-kilometre descent leads into Saint-Jacques-des-Blats. The road starts to rise again straight away, but only the final 3.3 kilometres count for the KOM classification. The Col de Font de Cère averages 5.8%.
From the top, it’s 2.5 kilometres to the finish in Le Lioran. The road drops slightly before the final few hundred metres go up at 6%.
In 2024, Le Lioran was the scene of a titanic battle. Tadej Pogacar launched a solo attack on the Pas de Peyrol (climbed then from a steeper side), but Jonas Vingegaard refused to let go. The Dane chased relentlessly, catching the Slovenian near the top of the Col de Pertus, before edging him out in in a thrilling photo finish sprint.
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Tour de France 2026, stage 10: routes, profiles, videos
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