2026 Tour de France Stage 3 Granollers > Les Angles

Stage 3Mountain Stage6 July 2026

Stage 3: Granollers to Les Angles

196km

3,906m elevation

Stage 3 details
Stage	3
Type	Mountain Stage
Date	Monday 6 July 2026
Route	Granollers → Les Angles
Distance	196 km
Elevation	3,906 m

Why This Stage Matters

This is the first true climbing test. Even if time gaps stay modest, the way teams ride the final ascents reveals who is comfortable protecting the general classification and who is already on the limit.

Stage 3 runs from Granollers to Les Angles and is classified as a mountain stage. It introduces sustained climbing early in the Tour and can reveal differences in form between general classification contenders. The stage comes before fatigue has fully accumulated, but the pace can still expose riders who are not yet settled.

Stage Highlights

Sant Feliu de Codines, 7.6 km at 4.5%
Collada de Toses, last 9.3 km at 6.5%.
Col du Calvaire, 14.9 km at 4.1%, summit at 1,836 m
Les Angles: 4.7 km at 4.6%, last 1.7 km at 7.6%

The Route

190 km of mountain terrain with around 3,900 m of climbing. Rolling opening roads give way to sustained gradients toward Les Angles, so positioning before each ascent matters.

Stuey's Comments

“This has breakaway written all over it—smart teams let the jersey go.”

After a frantic opening, an uphill-leaning stage like this is where the peloton finally blinks. Holding the lead here costs more than it pays, because you burn the legs you’ll need when the real mountain days arrive. That opens the door for a strong move to get real leash, provided it’s not stacked with GC threats. Choose the wrong day to defend and you don’t just lose this stage—you lose the support you’ll need later.

2026 Route Preview Interview - December 2025

Stuart O'Grady in the midst of his team in yellow during the team time trial at the 2001 Tour de France

Stuart O'Grady OAM OLY

4 x Tour de France Stage Winner

The Viewing Experience

Early in the race, expect strategic climbing efforts, with potential breakaways forming on the ascents. The stage will likely see significant gaps forming between riders, showcasing the strength of the climbers. Mountain stages change how the race looks from the roadside. Speeds drop on the climbs and riders pass closer to the crowd, making individual effort easier to observe.

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