Tour de France finale through Montmartre shortened by 44km as wildfire emergency to combat blazes forces route change
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Updated 26/07/2026 at 14:58 GMT+1
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The final stage of the 2026 Tour de France has been significantly shortened after French authorities redeployed policing resources to support emergency operations tackling devastating wildfires in the south west of the country. The Montmartre climb introduced last year has been preserved.
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In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the French Prefecture of Police and Tour organiser ASO confirmed that Stage 21 on Sunday has been reduced from its planned 133km to 89km after the Ministry of the Interior reassigned some of the security personnel originally allocated to the race.
"As numerous wildfires are currently affecting France, particularly the Gironde region, emergency services are fully mobilised to combat the blazes, while internal security forces are working to secure the affected areas and protect the population," the statement read.
"In light of this, the Ministry of the Interior has decided to redeploy a portion of the internal security forces initially mobilised to ensure security for the final stage of the Tour de France, in order to reinforce the response efforts in the areas affected by the wildfires.
"In the spirit of national solidarity with the affected regions and populations, it has been decided to adjust the route of the final stage between Thoiry and Paris on Sunday, July 26, 2026."
Originally scheduled to begin in Thoiry before covering around 55km to Paris, the competitive portion of the stage will now take place entirely within the capital, cutting 44km from the original route.
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Tadej Pogacar is on the brink of a fifth Tour de France title
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What time does the final stage start?
Under the revised schedule, the publicity caravan will depart from Thoiry at 12:20 BST before heading directly to the finishing circuit in Paris after the ceremonial parade. The team presentation will still take place in Thoiry at 14:40 BST, after which the riders will transfer to the French capital by bus.
The official start will be given from the finish line on the Champs-Elysees at 16:50 BST, with the peloton completing two additional laps of the traditional circuit before taking on the three planned laps of the extended route that includes the climb to Montmartre.
The stage is expected to finish at approximately 18:45 BST, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max - but the revised route means the finale introduced in 2025 remains intact.
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The Montmartre climb was added to the Tour's concluding stage following its successful inclusion in the Paris 2024 Olympic road race, and quickly established itself as a dramatic addition to the traditional Champs-Elysees finish.
Last year, Wout van Aert attacked on the climb to distance overall winner Tadej Pogacar and claim victory in Paris. The route change is the latest disruption to this year's Tour caused by extreme weather.
Earlier in the race, organisers warned fans against attending Stage 3 because of wildfire risks and introduced operational changes for the race convoy as fires threatened parts of the Pyrenees. Stage 9 was also shortened because of exceptionally intense heat.
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The Montmartre finale on Sunday remains unchanged
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The current wildfires are among the most serious to hit France this summer, with the largest blazes burning west of Bordeaux in the Gironde region.
In the region of 200,000 people have reportedly been evacuated, while more than 32,000 hectares of land have been destroyed. The fires form part of a wider heatwave affecting large parts of France and Spain.
The statement concluded by paying tribute to those responding to the emergency.
"The Prefect of Police and the Director of the Tour de France commend the dedication of all those involved in fighting the wildfires and express their full solidarity with the affected communities," the statement added.
"They thank the riders, the teams, the local authorities, the partners and the public for their understanding regarding these exceptional measures made necessary by the situation."
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