Tour of the Alps 2026: The Route

As always, the Tour of the Alps is a brutally tough race for climbers. The final three stages in particular are savage. Over five days, the riders tackle 14,620 metres of elevation gain across 763 kilometres. The race opens on Monday in Innsbruck with the most straightforward stage out of five.

Published on 17 April 2026

Race dates: Monday 20 April – Friday 24 April
Characteristics: five-day stage race for climbers
Key stages: 3, 4 and 5

Stage-by-stage breakdown of the 2026 Tour of the Alps

[Click on the italicised links for detailed stage descriptions]

Stage 1 – 144.3 km, 1,700 metres of climbing
The Tour of the Alps opens with the easiest stage of the race. The route features two loops with four climbs in total, the last of which comes more than 22 kilometres from the finish. Both start and finish are in Innsbruck.

Stage 2 – 147.5 km, 2,550 metres of climbing
On day two the riders travel from Austria to Italy – from Telfs to Martell, to be precise. After two major climbs en route (9.2 kilometres at 6% and 15.8 kilometres at 3.4%), the finish comes just after a 5 kilometres ascent at 8.9%.

Stage 3 – 174.5 km, 3,620 metres of climbing
The first of two brutal mountain stages, both with more than 3,600 metres of elevation gain, takes the riders from Latsch to Arco. After a monster climb in the opening 50 kilometres (Hofmahdjoch: 22.2 kilometres at 5.7%), three more summits follow in the final 65 kilometres. After the bonus sprint in Tenno – on a 4.4-kilometre climb at 4.4% – the riders descend for 10 kilometres onto a flat 6.5-kilometre run-in to the line.

Stage 4 – 167.8 km, 3,900 metres of climbing
The queen stage is a brutal affair featuring eight climbs in total. After three big ascents in the first half, the race is decided on a series of short uphills in the final 25 kilometres, respectively 2.7 kilometres at 7.7%, 800 metres at 7.5% and 1.6 kilometres at 6.5%. The latter leads to the bonus sprint in Povo, after which around 10 kilometres remain to the finish in Trento – the first half downhill, the second flat.

Stage 5 – 128.6 km, 2,850 metres of climbing
The final stage is an explosive one, starting in Trento and finishing after a 19-kilometre circuit around Bolzano. At its centre is a 12.7 kilometres climb at 7%, which the riders tackle twice, although the second ascent is slightly shorter. The Tour of the Alps concludes with a 12.4 kilometres descent.