Tour de France 2026 Route stage 10: Aurillac - Le Lioran

Tuesday, 14 July - On Bastille Day, the Tour de France traverses the Massif Central over 166.6 kilometres of racing. Most of the 3,900 metres of elevation gain is packed into the second half of the stage. The final 40 kilometres follow the same roads as two editions ago, when Vingegaard outgunned Pogacar in a thrilling finale.

Last updated on 9 July 2026: weather forecast added

Suited to: climbers
Key note: Massif Central at its best

Aurillac boasts a rich Tour de France history. La Grande Boucle has visited the town on the River Jordanne fifteen times, most recently in 2024. 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 photo finish sprint.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 10th stage.

Stage 10 of the Tour de France gets under way at 13:10 and the race is expected to finish around 17:25 - both local times (CEST). For details, see the timings in the slideshow.

Another interesting read: favourites to win in Le Lioran.

Weather forecast:
The Tour resumes after the rest day with the heat still very much a factor. Throughout the stage across the Massif Central, temperatures are forecast to hover around 35°C in the shade, meaning it will be even hotter in plain sunlight.

Start: 35°C, sunny, westerly wind (12 km/h)
Finish: 34°C, sunny, westerly wind (11 km/h)

We update the weather forecast on the morning of the stage. For the latest conditions along the route, click the corresponding icons on the interactive weather map in the slideshow below this article.