The final week of the 2026 Tour de France begins on Tuesday 21 July with a 26.1km individual time trial from Évian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains.
Unlike a normal road stage, the riders will start individually in reverse general classification order. Kamil Gradek is scheduled to become the first rider on course at 13:00 local time, which is 12:00 BST in the UK. Yellow jersey Tadej Pogačar starts last at 17:15 local time, or 16:15 BST, with the final finish expected at approximately 16:50 BST.
UK coverage begins at 11:30 BST on TNT Sports and HBO Max, giving viewers time to see the opening riders and follow the entire four-hour sequence. The most important general classification contenders begin during the final 20 minutes, with Isaac del Toro starting at 16:11 BST, Remco Evenepoel at 16:13 and Pogačar at 16:15.
Stage 16 is not a flat specialists’ time trial. The route contains approximately 500 metres of climbing, including the 9.7km Côte de Larringes at an average gradient of 4.3%, followed by a descent and a faster final section into Thonon-les-Bains.
The course, likely stage tactics and podium implications are covered in our full Tour de France 2026 Stage 16 preview.
Tour de France 2026 Stage 16 times at a glance
| Detail | UK time |
|---|---|
| TNT Sports and HBO Max coverage begins | 11:30 BST |
| First rider starts | 12:00 BST |
| Joshua Tarling starts | 12:25 BST |
| Filippo Ganna starts | 12:58 BST |
| Tom Pidcock starts | 15:59 BST |
| Paul Seixas starts | 16:09 BST |
| Isaac del Toro starts | 16:11 BST |
| Remco Evenepoel starts | 16:13 BST |
| Tadej Pogačar starts | 16:15 BST |
| Expected final finish | Around 16:50 BST |
Anyone interested primarily in the stage victory should begin watching well before the GC favourites. Joshua Tarling starts at 12:25 BST and Filippo Ganna at 12:58, while several other strong rouleurs and time trial specialists are spread across the earlier part of the order.
The final hour remains essential because Evenepoel, Pogačar and the leading GC riders will all be on the road. The riders with the strongest chances of winning the stage are assessed in our Tour de France 2026 Stage 16 time trial contenders guide.
When does Tour de France Stage 16 start?
The first rider leaves Évian-les-Bains at 13:00 Central European Summer Time.
That is:
| Location | First rider |
|---|---|
| UK and Ireland | 12:00 BST |
| France, Belgium and central Europe | 13:00 CEST |
| US Eastern | 07:00 EDT |
| US Pacific | 04:00 PDT |
| Canada Eastern | 07:00 EDT |
| Australia east coast | 21:00 AEST |
| New Zealand | 23:00 NZST |
Pogačar is the final starter at 17:15 local time. He is expected to reach Thonon-les-Bains at approximately 17:50 local time, although the precise finish will depend on his speed and any incidents on the course.
For viewers in the United States, the yellow jersey starts at 11:15 EDT and 08:15 PDT. Australian viewers will see the final riders after midnight, with Pogačar starting at 01:15 AEST on Wednesday morning.
When should UK viewers tune in?
There are three useful viewing windows depending on how much of the stage viewers want to see.
Watch from 11:30 BST for the complete stage
TNT Sports and HBO Max begin their coverage at 11:30 BST, half an hour before the first rider starts. This is the best option for viewers who want to follow the full time trial and compare the early benchmark times.
The broader daily schedule is available in our Tour de France 2026 TV schedule and start times guide.
Watch from 12:20 BST for the early specialists
Joshua Tarling starts at 12:25 BST, with Filippo Ganna following at 12:58. Their rides should establish the first serious reference times.
The position of both riders in the lower half of the general classification means they start much earlier than Evenepoel and Pogačar. Waiting until the final hour would risk missing two of the strongest pure time trial performances.
Our guide to the best time triallists at the Tour de France 2026 explains why Tarling, Ganna, Evenepoel and Pogačar are among the most important riders to follow.
Watch from 15:45 BST for the GC battle
The final group of leading riders begins shortly before 16:00 BST.
Tom Pidcock starts at 15:59, followed by a steady sequence of riders occupying the highest positions overall. Paul Seixas begins at 16:09, Del Toro at 16:11, Evenepoel at 16:13 and Pogačar at 16:15.
The final rider should finish at approximately 16:50 BST.
The standings heading into the stage are set out in our GC and jerseys after Tour de France 2026 Stage 15.
Key Stage 16 start times
All times below are in BST.
| Rider | Team | Start time |
|---|---|---|
| Kamil Gradek | Bahrain Victorious | 12:00 |
| Lewis Askey | NSN Cycling Team | 12:01:30 |
| Joshua Tarling | Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team | 12:25:30 |
| Edoardo Affini | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 12:37:30 |
| Filippo Ganna | Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team | 12:58:30 |
| Luke Plapp | Team Jayco AlUla | 14:01:30 |
| Nelson Oliveira | Movistar | 14:15 |
| Victor Campenaerts | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 14:19:30 |
| Tobias Foss | Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team | 15:06 |
| Brandon McNulty | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 15:40:30 |
| Tom Pidcock | Pinarello-Q36.5 | 15:59 |
| Lenny Martinez | Bahrain Victorious | 16:01 |
| Mattias Skjelmose | Lidl-Trek | 16:03 |
| Juan Ayuso | Lidl-Trek | 16:05 |
| Florian Lipowitz | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | 16:07 |
| Paul Seixas | Decathlon CMA CGM | 16:09 |
| Isaac del Toro | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 16:11 |
| Remco Evenepoel | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | 16:13 |
| Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 16:15 |
The gaps between riders begin at 90 seconds before increasing to two minutes among the highest-ranked GC contenders. That reduces the risk of riders catching one another during the decisive final section and gives television coverage more space to follow each major performance.
For anyone less familiar with the format, our guide to how a cycling time trial works explains starting order, pacing, equipment and how time gaps are recorded.
Where to watch Stage 16 in the UK
Stage 16 is live on TNT Sports and HBO Max from 11:30 BST.
TNT Sports is available through HBO Max, BT, EE, Sky and Virgin Media. The broadcaster is showing every stage of the 2026 Tour from start to finish, with the full individual time trial included in Tuesday’s coverage.
There is no ITV live coverage of the 2026 Tour. UK viewers using free-to-air television will need to rely on highlights unless the stage is selected for an additional S4C broadcast.
The current rights position and subscription options are explained in our guide to how to watch the Tour de France 2026 in the UK. We have also explained why the Tour de France is no longer live on ITV.
How to watch Stage 16 around the world
Peacock is showing every stage of the 2026 Tour de France live in the United States, including complete coverage and replays. The first rider begins at 07:00 Eastern and 04:00 Pacific, while the final GC contenders start shortly after 11:00 Eastern.
FloBikes carries the Tour in Canada. Eastern Canadian times are the same as the US Eastern schedule, with the first rider at 07:00 and the expected conclusion at approximately 11:50.
France Télévisions provides free-to-air domestic coverage in France, while viewers in Australia can follow the stage through SBS and SBS On Demand.
A fuller list of legal international options is available in our Tour de France 2026 live stream guide by country.
The Stage 16 route explained
The course begins in Évian-les-Bains beside Lake Geneva but does not remain on the flat shoreline for long. Riders climb away from the lake through Neuvecelle and Champanges before reaching the Côte de Larringes.
The first intermediate checkpoint arrives after 4.8km. The second is positioned at the top of the main climb after 9.7km, with the third beside the Dranse in Thonon-les-Bains at kilometre 18.1.
The Côte de Larringes averages 4.3% across 9.7km and rises to 799 metres. It is classified as a second-category climb, meaning mountains classification points are available despite the stage being an individual time trial.
After the summit, the route descends towards Thonon-les-Bains. The closing kilometres contain longer straight roads where aerodynamic efficiency and sustained power become more important again.
The course is effectively divided into three sections: a climbing opening, a descending middle and a faster final run towards the finish. That variety makes pacing more complicated than on a conventional flat time trial.
Starting too quickly risks paying for the effort on the upper section of the climb. Riding too conservatively could leave a rider with too much energy once the fastest roads arrive.
Will riders change bikes during the stage?
A mid-stage bike change appears unlikely.
The climb is long enough to reward lower weight, but it is not steep enough to remove the aerodynamic advantage of a time-trial bike. The descent and final flatter kilometres also make remaining on the specialist machine the more logical choice.
A planned bike change costs time through braking, stopping, dismounting and accelerating again. It is usually worthwhile only when a climb is sufficiently steep or long to compensate for those losses.
Teams may still alter equipment choices through wheel depth, gearing and helmet selection. Riders must balance aerodynamic performance against handling on the descent and the need to maintain a comfortable climbing cadence.
Photo Credit: GettyWhy Remco Evenepoel starts as favourite
Evenepoel begins the stage as the most obvious favourite after moving into second place overall with victory on Plateau de Solaison.
The three-time world time trial champion trails Pogačar by five minutes but holds a 58-second advantage over Del Toro in third. Stage 16 gives him an opportunity to strengthen that position before the Tour returns to the mountains later in the week.
The route should suit Evenepoel because it demands more than pure flat-road power. His ability to maintain speed on gradual climbs and rapidly return to an aerodynamic position after technical sections makes him difficult to beat over a mixed course.
Pogačar does not need to take major risks, but his form throughout the race means another stage victory cannot be dismissed.
What Stage 16 means for Tadej Pogačar
Pogačar begins the final week with a commanding advantage and can approach the time trial differently from every rider behind him.
He does not need to attack the descent or take unnecessary risks through corners. A controlled performance would still be likely to protect most or all of his lead.
That does not mean he will ride defensively. Pogačar has repeatedly shown that he prefers to compete for stage victories even when the overall position is secure, and the mixed terrain suits his combination of climbing ability and time-trial power.
His result will also determine the tone of the remaining Alpine stages. If he gains more time, UAE Team Emirates-XRG can race with even greater control. If Evenepoel makes an unexpected gain, the final week acquires another tactical question.
What Stage 16 means for the podium fight
Pogačar’s lead means the closer contest may be for the remaining podium places.
Evenepoel has the chance to increase his advantage over Del Toro and place greater distance between himself and the rest of the podium contenders. Del Toro must limit his losses while preparing for three difficult mountain stages during the final four days.
Seixas, Lipowitz, Ayuso, Skjelmose, Martinez and Pidcock also have important objectives. Some will be attempting to protect top-ten positions, while others can use the time trial to move up before the Alpine stages.
A loss of one minute may not look decisive with several mountains still to come, but it changes how each rider must race. Someone gaining time on Tuesday can defend more conservatively, while a rider losing ground may need to attack from farther out later in the week.
Vingegaard’s withdrawal has also changed the balance of the race. The circumstances of his exit are covered in our report on Jonas Vingegaard abandoning the Tour de France after his Stage 15 crash.
Photo Credit: GettyTom Pidcock faces another important test
Pidcock starts at 15:59 BST after slipping to ninth overall during Stage 15.
The route is not ideal for a pure climber, but its climbing content makes it less damaging than a completely flat power course. Pidcock’s descending ability may also help him recover some time after the Côte de Larringes.
His main task is limiting losses to the riders immediately around him. A strong ride could keep the top five within reach before the final mountains, while a poor one would make another long-range offensive necessary.
The wider question of whether he can still reach the podium has been examined in our analysis of Tom Pidcock’s Tour de France podium chances.
Why the early starters still matter
The reverse GC starting order means many of the strongest pure specialists ride before the television audience reaches its peak.
Tarling, Ganna, Affini and other powerful riders can produce a winning benchmark several hours before Pogačar finishes.
That creates an unusual rhythm. The provisional stage leader may spend a long time in the hot seat while later riders try to judge whether the changing wind, temperature or road conditions have become faster or slower.
Intermediate splits will make it possible to compare riders even when they are on different parts of the course. A contender who is behind at the climbing checkpoint could recover time on the descent and final section, while someone starting too hard may fade after the summit.
Stage 16 live viewing summary
Stage 16 begins at 12:00 BST with Kamil Gradek, while TNT Sports and HBO Max coverage starts at 11:30.
The first major time trial specialists appear during the opening hour, including Joshua Tarling at 12:25 and Filippo Ganna at 12:58. Viewers interested only in the general classification can tune in from around 15:45, before Tom Pidcock starts at 15:59.
The decisive sequence begins with Paul Seixas at 16:09, followed by Isaac del Toro at 16:11, Remco Evenepoel at 16:13 and Tadej Pogačar at 16:15.
The final finish is expected at approximately 16:50 BST.
Unlike a road stage, there will be something meaningful to follow throughout the afternoon. Early specialists can challenge for the victory, while the final riders will decide how the podium battle looks before the Tour enters its last run of Alpine stages.
