The Baloise Ladies Tour will again split its identity across the Netherlands and Belgium in 2026, with organisers confirming a five-day route that visits a different province on each day of racing and keeps its traditional mix of short time trials, sprint friendly stages and a late weekend shake up.
The 12th edition of the stage race runs from July 15th to July 19th 2026, beginning with a Dutch prologue before crossing into Flanders and then building towards a decisive Saturday in Belgian Limburg, where riders will face two stages in one day.
Photo Credit: GettyPrologue returns to the Netherlands, this time in IJzendijke
As in recent editions, the race opens on Dutch roads, with IJzendijke in Zeeland hosting the short opening time trial. After Yerseke staged the prologue last year, the move to IJzendijke continues the pattern of using compact Dutch towns to set the general classification early, often by only a handful of seconds.
West Flanders stage ends on ‘De Wandelaar’ in Knokke-Heist
The first road stage on July 16th is a West Flanders day from Oostende to Knokke-Heist, finishing for the third consecutive year on the short, sharp rise known locally as De Wandelaar. The finishing straight is only around 100 metres long and averages roughly 8%, a rare sting in an otherwise flat finale that has repeatedly turned a likely bunch sprint into a test of timing and positioning.
Zulte stays on the map with a sixth start and finish
On July 17th, Zulte again anchors the race, hosting start and finish for the sixth time. The stage will travel through part of the Flemish Ardennes before returning to the now familiar local circuits in and around Zulte, terrain that tends to reward teams who can keep control and riders who can repeatedly accelerate rather than settle into a steady rhythm.
Saturday split stage in Belgian Limburg, time trial plus road stage in Maaseik
The race’s key day comes on July 18th, when the Baloise Ladies Tour heads to Belgian Limburg for the first time, centred on Maaseik.
Organisers have scheduled:
- a morning individual time trial, followed by
- a late afternoon road stage
This format is often where the overall classification either opens up decisively or becomes a game of limits, with riders asked to produce two high-level efforts in a single day, and teams forced to manage recovery and pacing without the usual overnight reset between disciplines.
Finale in Mechelen, flatter terrain for the last day
The final stage on July 19th will be based around Mechelen in Antwerp province, where a flat stage is planned for the race’s conclusion. Depending on the time gaps created on Saturday, this can either become a controlled sprint day or a tense chase scenario if the general classification remains tight.
2026 route at a glance
- July 15th: Prologue, IJzendijke (Zeeland)
- July 16th: Oostende to Knokke-Heist (West Flanders), finish on De Wandelaar
- July 17th: Zulte stage (East Flanders), Flemish Ardennes section plus local circuits
- July 18th: Maaseik double stage (Belgian Limburg), ITT in the morning, road stage in the afternoon
- July 19th: Mechelen finale (Antwerp), flat stage
A familiar role as late Tour de France Femmes test
The Baloise Ladies Tour is widely treated as one of the final preparation races for the Tour de France Femmes, a slot on the calendar that has helped build a strong winners list in recent years. Last season’s overall winner was Zoe Bäckstedt, while previous editions have been won by riders such as Lorena Wiebes, Ellen van Dijk, Marianne Vos and Jolien D’hoore, reflecting the race’s ability to suit both specialists against the clock and the peloton’s best finishers.
