Tour de France Stage 18 Preview: The First of a Three-Stage Climbing Finale
Outside Magazine • • sports
Key Points:
- The 185.2km stage from Voiron to Orcières-Merlette in the 2026 Tour de France features a challenging 3900m elevation gain, attracting breakaway riders aiming for a strong escape.
- With major mountain battles like Alpe d’Huez still to come, many yellow jersey contenders may conserve energy, potentially allowing breakaways to succeed.
- The final climb to Orcières-Merlette is 7.1km long with an average gradient of 6.7%, favoring pure climbers but still manageable for a well-organized breakaway group.
- This stage marks the beginning of three grueling mountain stages that will be critical for climbers and overall contenders in the closing part of the 2026 Tour.
