Tour de France 2026 Route stage 21: Thoiry - Paris

Sunday 26 July - The final stage of the Tour starts in Thoiry and finishes 133 kilometres later on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Just like last year, the Côte de la Butte Montmartre once again features in the finale. This time, the cobbled climb of 1.1 kilometres at 5.9% comes 10.3 kilometres from the finish line.

Last updated 23 July 2026: weather forecast updated

After the one-off finish in Nice in 2024, Paris once again provides the finale – though, as last year, not with the usual sprinters’ stage. The cobbled climb towards the Sacré-Cœur produced such spectacular racing last time that it makes a return this year. The section, which runs for 1.1 kilometres at an average gradient of 5.9%, will be tackled three times in total, with the final ascent coming 10.3 kilometres from the finish line.

One difference from last year is that the climb now comes 4.2 kilometres further from the finish. In theory, that gives dropped sprinters – or rather, dropped riders in general – more time to regain contact.

The run-in to Paris follows the familiar pattern. After plenty of chatter and even more photo opportunities, the riders reach the French capital after roughly 50 kilometres. Then come four laps of 6.8 kilometres on the Champs-Élysées, before heading for the Côte de la Butte Montmartre for the first time. The circuit including the cobbled climb measures 16.7 kilometres and is ridden three times.

Wout van Aert pulled off the unseen in last year's finale: he dropped Tadej Pogacar. On the cobbles of the Côte de la Butte Montmartre, the yellow jersey launched an attack, but the Belgian countered and rode away solo to a resounding victory. With that, the Slovenian missed out on his fifth stage win, but he still crossed the line in fourth place to secure his fourth overall Tour de France title.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 21st stage 2026 Tour de France.

The final stage of the Tour de France starts at 16:15 and the race is expected to finish around 19:40 - both local times (CEST).

Another interesting read: favourites to win the stage to Paris.

Weather forecast:
Just like last year, the Tour could end on wet roads. That would be a shame, as rain would make the cobbles on the Montmartre climb slippery, increasing the risk of crashes. Last year, the GC times were frozen on the fourth passage over the finish line on the Champs-Élysées.

Start: 30°C, rainy, westerly wind (10 km/h)
Finish: 24°C, showery with sunny spells, westerly wind (18 km/h)

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