TTT twist and sprint boost could redefine the 2026 Tour de France
The 2026 Tour de France introduces a new team time trial format on stage 1 in Barcelona, where the team’s time is taken from the first rider to cross the line (with other riders earning their own GC times) and individual GC times in the TTT, plus a finish on Montjuïc after two short climbs. It also reshapes the points competition by increasing the winner’s points on five sprint stages to 70 and awarding 25 points for intermediate sprints, aiming to make the green jersey a true sprint battle and affecting early GC suspense—potentially tempering Tadej Pogačar’s dominance and shifting tactics toward sprinters.
