The Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2026 has a start list that fits the race’s new status neatly. It is short, mountainous and difficult to control, with three stages that should quickly separate the genuine GC riders from those chasing stages or experience.
The route opens with Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Mourenx, a day that gives puncheurs and faster riders some hope before the climbing specialists take over. Stage 2 is the centrepiece, running from Arrens-Marsous to Bagnères-de-Bigorre via the Col du Tourmalet. Stage 3 from Nay to Jurançon then gives attackers one final chance to move the race before the overall is settled.
That makes this a race for riders who can climb hard, recover quickly and handle a compressed GC battle. The Tourmalet should be decisive, but the winner still needs to avoid trouble on the opening day and stay sharp on the final stage. A three-day race leaves no time to recover from one poor moment.
For wider race context, see our Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2026 full route guide, full start list for Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2026 and beginner’s guide to Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2026. UK coverage details are also available in our guide on how to watch Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2026 in the UK.
What kind of rider does the 2026 route favour?
The Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2026 should favour a climber with enough all-round strength to avoid losing time away from the Tourmalet. Stage 2 is the clear GC stage, but stage 1 can still create gaps if the race becomes selective, and stage 3 to Jurançon is awkward enough for late changes if the margins remain close.
The ideal contender needs:
- Strong climbing legs for the Tourmalet
- Good positioning on the opening stage
- Recovery across three consecutive days
- Enough team support to stay protected before stage 2
- The ability to descend and regroup after the Tourmalet
- The confidence to race stage 3 if the GC is still close
The race history points clearly towards riders with proven Pyrenean strength. Usoa Ostolaza has the strongest record here, with two overall wins, two podiums, two top-10 finishes and two stage wins from three starts. But the strongest current form line belongs to Paula Blasi, whose Vuelta Femenina success this season changed the way she has to be judged. This is no longer just a race where she can test herself. It is a race she can realistically win.
Photo Credit: GettyPaula Blasi
Paula Blasi is the pick for this year’s Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées. Her Vuelta Femenina victory earlier this season was a major step in her career and immediately changes the context around her in races like this. She is not arriving as a promising climber hoping to convert potential. She is arriving as a proven stage-race winner with the confidence to take control on hard terrain.
Her previous record here is useful without being decisive. Blasi has one start at the race and one top-10 finish, which shows she has already handled the terrain. The difference now is that she returns with a much stronger profile. The Tourmalet stage is exactly the kind of day where she can turn recent confidence into a race-winning move.
UAE Team ADQ also have the depth to support her properly. Dominika Wlodarczyk gives the team a second GC card, while Federica Venturelli adds another rider who can be used tactically if the race opens up before the main favourites move. Alena Ivanchenko, Milana Ushakova and Giada Silo round out a squad that should be strong enough to keep Blasi protected before the key climbs.
The route suits her because it rewards decisive climbing rather than long, controlled attrition. If she reaches the Tourmalet in the right position, she has the form and the confidence to distance the field. After what she did at the Vuelta Femenina, she deserves to start as the leading contender.
Usoa Ostolaza
Usoa Ostolaza is still the rider with the best race-specific record. Three starts, two overall wins, two podiums, two top-10s and two stage wins make her the clearest historical benchmark in the field. She knows this race, she knows the Pyrenean terrain, and she has already proved she can convert that knowledge into victories.
That makes her a serious threat again in 2026. The Tourmalet stage is the obvious place for her to make the difference, and Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi should be fully committed to giving her the best possible platform. This is a race where familiarity matters. The climbs, the rhythm, the short format and the pressure of a three-day GC fight all play to her experience.
The reason she sits behind Blasi in this preview is not because her case is weak. It is because Blasi’s current form line is stronger. Ostolaza has the race history, but Blasi has the broader 2026 statement result. That makes the head-to-head especially interesting: one rider with the clearest record in this event, another arriving with the momentum of a major stage-race win.
Ostolaza remains the safest podium pick in the race. If Blasi hesitates, if UAE Team ADQ misread the Tourmalet, or if the race becomes more attritional than explosive, Ostolaza has every chance of winning again.
Juliette Berthet
Juliette Berthet gives FDJ United-SUEZ a clear and reliable GC option. She does not have Ostolaza’s race-specific record or Blasi’s headline 2026 stage-race success, but she has the climbing ability, experience and consistency to make the podium.
The Tourmalet stage should suit her. Berthet is unlikely to panic if the race becomes hard early, and she has the experience to manage a short GC battle where the key is not only attacking but avoiding unnecessary losses. In a three-day race, that kind of calm can be valuable.
FDJ United-SUEZ also have enough depth to support her without being forced into a one-dimensional plan. Eglantine Rayer gives the team another climbing option, while Marie Le Net, Sofia Bertizzolo, Franziska Koch and Léa Curinier give them riders who can help across the opening and closing stages. That matters because Berthet’s best chance may come from staying close to the more explosive climbers and then using consistency to secure the podium.
She may not be the obvious rider to blow the race apart, but she is one of the most likely to still be in contention when the GC settles after Jurançon.
Photo Credit: GettyDominika Wlodarczyk
Dominika Wlodarczyk gives UAE Team ADQ a valuable second option behind Blasi. That matters because the race is short, and a team with two GC threats can make the Tourmalet much harder to manage for rivals.
Her previous record here is solid: one start, one top-10 finish. She has already shown she can handle the race, and the 2026 route should suit her hard-stage-race profile. If Blasi is watched closely, Wlodarczyk can be used to apply pressure. If Wlodarczyk is given space, she is strong enough to become a GC threat in her own right.
She may not be the primary UAE Team ADQ card, but she could be central to how they win the race. If they want to beat Ostolaza, they should not wait for a simple duel on the Tourmalet. Wlodarczyk gives them a way to stretch Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi before Blasi makes her move.
A top five is a realistic target, and a podium is possible if the race becomes tactical.
Julie Bego
Julie Bego is one of the most interesting young contenders in the race. She already has two starts here and one top-10 finish, which gives her useful experience despite her age. For Cofidis Women Team, she looks like the clearest rider to protect for the overall.
The route should suit her development as well as her current strengths. The Tourmalet gives her a major climbing test, while the three-day format means she does not have to manage the same recovery demands as a longer stage race. If she can stay close on stage 1, stage 2 gives her the chance to turn climbing ability into a strong GC result.
Cofidis also bring Ema Comte, Victoire Berteau, Martina Alzini, Kristyna Burlova and Nadia Quagliotto. Comte is useful on the harder terrain, while Berteau and Alzini give the team options if the opening stage becomes more about positioning and punch than pure climbing.
Bego may not yet have the same race-winning authority as Blasi, Ostolaza or Berthet, but she is a strong top-five outsider. A podium would be a significant result, but not an impossible one if the Tourmalet goes her way.
Karolina Perekitko
Karolina Perekitko is another rider with useful race history. She has three starts at the Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées and one top-10 finish, which suggests she understands the demands of the event even if she has not yet turned that into a podium.
Mayenne-Monbana-Mypie should look at her as their clearest GC card. The Tourmalet stage is the obvious target, and Perekitko’s best chance of a major result is to stay quiet on stage 1, survive with the strongest on stage 2, then defend or improve on stage 3.
The team around her includes Alice Coutinho, Justine Gegu, Constance Valentin, Léa Rondel and Fiona Mangan. They do not have the same depth as UAE Team ADQ, FDJ United-SUEZ or Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi, so Perekitko may need to follow rather than force the race.
Another top-10 is well within reach. A top five would need her to be close to her best on the Tourmalet.
Eglantine Rayer
Eglantine Rayer gives FDJ United-SUEZ a useful second climbing option. She may start behind Berthet in the team hierarchy, but that could make her tactically important if the race becomes more open than expected.
The Tourmalet is where she should be most valuable. She can support Berthet deep into the climb, follow moves, or put pressure on rivals if FDJ want to race proactively. In a race where UAE Team ADQ have multiple cards and Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi have the strongest historical favourite, FDJ will need more than one rider in the front group.
Rayer’s own GC prospects depend on freedom. If Berthet is clearly the strongest FDJ rider, Rayer may become a support rider. If the front group is still large late on stage 2, she can still ride herself into the top 10.
Federica Venturelli
Federica Venturelli is one of the development names to keep an eye on, even if Blasi and Wlodarczyk give UAE Team ADQ the clearer GC cards. Her ability is already obvious, and this race is a useful test because it is hard without being long.
Stage 2 over the Tourmalet will be the key marker. If Venturelli is still present deep into the race, UAE Team ADQ suddenly have another way to make life difficult for their rivals. If she is used earlier, she can help position Blasi and Wlodarczyk before the decisive moves.
She is more of an outside contender than a favourite, but she has the talent to leave the race with a result that confirms her progression.
Victoire Berteau and Martina Alzini
Cofidis Women Team have useful stage options in Victoire Berteau and Martina Alzini. Their overall chances are less obvious than Bego’s, but stage 1 gives them a route into the race if the opening day becomes more selective than expected.
Berteau can handle hard racing and may be useful both as a stage contender and as support before the climbs. Alzini brings finishing speed, which could make her relevant if the opening stage comes back together in a reduced sprint. That matters because Cofidis do not need to wait entirely for the Tourmalet.
If Bego is their GC rider, Berteau and Alzini give the team a way to chase something before stage 2. That can take pressure off the GC plan and make Cofidis more visible throughout the race.
Eline Jansen
Eline Jansen gives VolkerWessels Cycling Team a rider worth watching, especially if the race opens up on the first or third stage. The Tourmalet may make the pure GC battle difficult, but Jansen has shown enough quality in similar terrain to be considered a top-10 outsider.
VolkerWessels also bring Maud Rijnbeek, Sophie von Berswordt-Wallrabe, Quinty Schoens, Malou Eisen and Laura Molenaar. The team may need to race opportunistically rather than control, but that can work in a short race if they choose the right moment.
Jansen’s best chance is probably to stay close enough through stage 2 and then use stage 3 if the GC is still open. A stage result may be more realistic than the podium, but she belongs among the riders who can shape the race outside the biggest teams.
Other riders to watch
The depth of the start list means several riders sit just outside the main contender group but could still influence the race.
Yuliia Biriukova has two top-10 finishes from three starts here and gives Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi a useful second card behind Ostolaza. Ema Comte gives Cofidis another climbing option alongside Bego, while Noémie Abgrall may be one of the stronger riders for Ma Petite Entreprise if the race becomes open.
Jule Märkl and Joëlle Messemer give Canyon SRAM Generation options in a development squad that should be looking for aggressive racing rather than control. Alli Anderson and Emma Jeffers are names to watch from Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team, especially if the opening stage becomes more selective than expected.
Fariba Hashimi gives Vini Fantini-BePink a rider who can be visible on hard days, while Kristyna Zemanova is the obvious name in the VIF Cycling Team line-up. Barbora Nemcova gives Dukla Women Cycling a useful option, and Violetta Kazakova is worth watching for XDS China Women Cycling if the race breaks up early.
These riders may not start as overall favourites, but a three-day race can reward boldness. A well-timed move on stage 1 or stage 3 could put a rider from outside the biggest teams into the top 10.
Sidney Swierenga
Sidney Swierenga is one of the more interesting development riders on the start list. Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team are unlikely to control the race, but Swierenga gives them a rider with enough stage-race promise to be relevant if the opening stage or final day becomes less controlled.
Her 2025 results already pointed towards that kind of profile. She won the Tour du Gévaudan Occitanie Femmes overall, took the youth classification and 2nd overall at the Tour of the Gila, and retained her Canadian junior time trial title. That combination of climbing, time trialling and stage-race durability makes this a useful test rather than just another start.
The Tourmalet may still be a big step at this level, but Swierenga is exactly the kind of rider who can use a three-day race to show progression. A top-10 overall would be a strong result, while a visible ride on stage 2 or stage 3 would confirm why Liv AlUla Jayco have invested in her development.
Emily Dixon
Emily Dixon gives Canyon SRAM Generation a clear rider to watch. She came through the Zwift Academy pathway and has already backed that up with 2026 results, including two stage wins at Gracia Orlová, 5th at the Grand Prix Féminin de Chambéry and 6th in the elite road race at the Australian national championships.
That form makes her worth covering here, even if the Tourmalet stage may decide how high she can realistically finish on GC. Dixon looks like a rider with climbing upside and enough race sharpness to matter in a field where several teams are bringing development squads rather than established WorldTour leaders.
Canyon SRAM Generation will not be expected to control the race, so Dixon’s best route may be through following the right moves and testing herself on stage 2. If she can limit losses over the Tourmalet and stay active on the final stage to Jurançon, she could be one of the more interesting younger riders outside the main favourites.
Clémence Latimier
Clémence Latimier is worth adding as Ma Petite Entreprise’s most relevant rider for a harder race. Noémie Abgrall may be the more obvious name to pick out from the team at first glance, but Latimier has the profile to be more useful once the race reaches the climbing stages.
Her 2026 season has included a solid ride at La Flèche Wallonne Féminine, where finishing inside the top 30 was a decent marker in a much deeper WorldTour-level field. That does not make her a podium contender here, but it does suggest she can handle hard one-day terrain and should not be dismissed on a short Pyrenean stage race.
For Ma Petite Entreprise, the realistic target is visibility, breakaway presence and a possible top-15 or top-20 overall if the race splits cleanly on the Tourmalet. Latimier is unlikely to match Blasi, Ostolaza or Berthet on the main climb, but she gives the team a rider who can survive longer than many once the race becomes selective.
Top 3 prediction
1. Paula Blasi
Blasi’s Vuelta Femenina success makes her the rider with the strongest 2026 form line in the race. She has already shown she can turn climbing strength into a major stage-race victory, and UAE Team ADQ have enough depth to support and protect her before the Tourmalet.
2. Usoa Ostolaza
Ostolaza has the best record in this race, with two overall wins and two stage victories from three starts. She knows how to win here, and the Tourmalet gives her another clear platform, but Blasi’s current momentum gives the UAE Team ADQ rider the edge.
3. Juliette Berthet
Berthet is the steady podium pick. She has the climbing level and stage-race experience to stay close when the race becomes hard, and FDJ United-SUEZ have enough support around her to keep her protected through all three days.
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Photo Credit: Getty
Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2026 contenders verdict
The Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2026 looks like a direct contest between Blasi’s current form and Ostolaza’s race history. Ostolaza is the established benchmark in this event, but Blasi’s Vuelta Femenina success changes the balance. She arrives as a rider who has already proved she can win a major stage race this season, and the Tourmalet gives her the kind of terrain where that confidence can become decisive.
UAE Team ADQ also look like the strongest tactical unit. Blasi is the clear leader, Wlodarczyk gives them a second GC option, and Venturelli adds another rider who can be used to stretch the race. If they want to beat Ostolaza, they should use those numbers rather than wait for a predictable one-on-one fight.
Berthet looks like the most reliable rider behind the two main favourites, while Bego, Wlodarczyk and Perekitko should all be in the top-five or top-10 conversation. The Tourmalet should shape the race, but stage 3 to Jurançon gives the GC one more chance to shift if the margins are still close.
Blasi is the pick, Ostolaza is the biggest danger, and Berthet gives the podium prediction a more settled final piece.
