The Tour de France Femmes 2026 will feature 21 teams and, with each team starting with seven riders, that means a full peloton of 147 riders.
That is the clean number for the 2026 race: 21 teams x seven riders = 147 riders.
The field is made up of all 14 UCI Women’s WorldTeams plus seven UCI Women’s ProTeams, giving the race a compact but high-quality peloton for its nine-stage route from Switzerland to France.
For the race route itself, see our Tour de France Femmes 2026 route guide and Tour de France Femmes 2026 calendar. The latest provisional rider list can also be checked on the Tour de France Femmes 2026 startlist on FirstCycling.
Quick answer: how many riders are in the Tour de France Femmes 2026?
The Tour de France Femmes 2026 has 21 teams, with seven riders per team. That makes a full start-line field of 147 riders.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many teams are in the race? | 21 |
| How many riders per team? | 7 |
| Total full peloton | 147 riders |
| WorldTeams | 14 |
| ProTeams | 7 |
| Continental teams | 0 |
| Race dates | 1-9 August 2026 |
| Number of stages | 9 |
How the Tour de France Femmes team maths works
The calculation is simple.
| Teams | Riders per team | Total riders |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | 7 | 147 |
The Tour de France Femmes uses seven-rider teams, which makes selection tighter than in the men’s Tour de France. A team cannot simply bring every possible climber, rouleur, lead-out rider and domestique. The final seven have to cover several jobs.
That matters even more in 2026 because the race is varied. It starts with a Swiss Grand Départ, includes hilly stages, an individual time trial, Mont Ventoux and a final day around Nice.
Our guide to how long the Tour de France Femmes 2026 is explains the race format and stage structure in more detail.
Which teams are selected for the Tour de France Femmes 2026?
The 2026 field is split between the 14 UCI Women’s WorldTeams and seven UCI Women’s ProTeams.
UCI Women’s WorldTeams
| Team |
|---|
| AG Insurance-Soudal |
| Canyon SRAM zondacrypto |
| EF Education-Oatly |
| FDJ United-SUEZ |
| Fenix-Premier Tech |
| Human Powered Health |
| Lidl-Trek |
| Liv-AlUla-Jayco |
| Movistar |
| Picnic-PostNL |
| SD Worx-Protime |
| UAE Team ADQ |
| Uno-X Mobility |
| Visma-Lease a Bike |
All 14 Women’s WorldTeams are included. That gives the race its strongest possible top-tier baseline, with the main GC, sprint and stage-hunting squads all represented.
UCI Women’s ProTeams
| Team |
|---|
| Cofidis Women |
| Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi |
| Lotto Intermarché Ladies |
| Ma Petite Entreprise |
| Mayenne Monbana My Pie |
| St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93 |
| VolkerWessels Cycling |
The seven ProTeams complete the race field. No Continental teams are included in the 2026 selection, so the peloton is drawn entirely from the WorldTeam and ProTeam levels.
Where can you see the Tour de France Femmes 2026 startlist?
The team selection tells us which squads are due to race, but the final rider line-ups come later.
For the latest named riders and team-by-team updates, the useful external reference is the Tour de France Femmes 2026 startlist on FirstCycling.
That list can still change before the race begins. Teams may confirm riders gradually, and late swaps can still happen because of injury, illness or form.
Why are there no Continental teams?
The 2026 Tour de France Femmes field reflects the more professionalised structure of women’s road cycling.
The race is built around the top two levels: UCI Women’s WorldTeams and UCI Women’s ProTeams. That narrows access, but it also raises the baseline around budget, staffing, race support and rider depth.
For the Tour de France Femmes, that matters. It is the most visible women’s stage race in the sport, and the organiser now has a field built around the teams best equipped to handle a nine-day race with major climbing, a time trial and heavy media attention.
Our explainer on what the Women’s WorldTour is gives more context on how the top level of women’s road racing works.
Why only seven riders per team?
Seven riders per team changes the race tactically.
A GC team needs a leader, climbing support, riders who can position in technical finales, someone to work through flatter sections and enough depth to survive crashes or bad days. A sprint team needs a fast finisher, lead-out support, rouleurs and riders who can get through harder terrain.
With only seven places, every selection decision matters.
In the 2026 race, that pressure is even sharper because the route is not built for one rider type. The peloton starts in Switzerland, crosses into France, rides an individual time trial in Dijon, then builds towards Mont Ventoux and Nice.
That is a lot of work for seven-rider squads.
Does every selected rider start?
Not necessarily.
The team selection confirms which teams are due to take part. The final named start list comes later, and even then it can change before the race begins. Illness, injury, form and team strategy can all alter a squad.
There are three different stages to separate:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Selected teams | The 21 teams chosen to race |
| Provisional start list | Riders named before the race |
| Actual starters | Riders who sign on and begin stage 1 |
For now, the field structure is clear: 21 teams x seven riders = 147 riders.
Why the 147-rider field matters
A 147-rider peloton is still big enough to create a full Tour de France Femmes race, but small enough to make team depth decisive.
There are fewer bodies in the bunch than in the men’s Tour, and fewer riders per team to solve problems. If a team loses one rider early, that is one seventh of its structure gone. If a GC leader loses two helpers, the race plan can change quickly.
It also affects breakaways and chases. Sprint teams may have to commit earlier. GC teams may be less willing to spend riders on days that do not suit them. Teams trying to defend multiple goals, such as yellow, stage wins and a jersey competition, have less margin.
That makes the Tour de France Femmes tactically sharp. The race is shorter than the men’s Tour, but the team calculations can be just as unforgiving.
What this means for the Swiss Grand Départ
The race starts in Switzerland on 1 August, with stage 1 beginning and ending in Lausanne. Stage 2 runs from Aigle to Geneva, and stage 3 starts in Geneva before crossing into France and finishing in Poligny.
A 21-team field still gives the Grand Départ a full elite peloton. It also means the opening stages should be sharp from the first day. The Lausanne finish has a late climb, stage 2 should favour the sprinters, and stage 3 brings the Jura into play quickly.
The smaller selected field does not reduce the importance of the opening weekend. If anything, it makes team discipline more important because there are fewer riders available to fix mistakes.
Our Tour de France Femmes 2026 Grand Départ in Switzerland route and fan guide explains how the opening three days work for both riders and fans.
What this means for the GC favourites
For the GC favourites, team size matters almost as much as route difficulty.
The strongest leaders need support across several types of terrain. They need protection in the Swiss opening stages, positioning for the time trial, cover through hilly transition days and climbing depth for Mont Ventoux and the Nice finale.
Seven-rider teams make that balancing act difficult. A squad built too heavily around climbing may lose control on flatter days. A squad built around sprint stages may lack support when the race hits Ventoux. A team trying to defend both yellow and stage wins may run out of workers.
That is where the Tour de France Femmes becomes more than a list of favourites. The selected seven riders can define the race as much as the leader.
For the bigger race picture, see our beginner’s guide to the Tour de France Femmes 2026.
Photo Credit: GettyHow the rider number compares with the men’s Tour de France
The men’s Tour de France usually starts with 22 teams of eight riders, making a full field of 176. The Tour de France Femmes 2026 has 21 teams of seven riders, making a full field of 147.
| Race | Teams | Riders per team | Full field |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour de France Femmes 2026 | 21 | 7 | 147 |
| Men’s Tour de France format | 22 | 8 | 176 |
That does not make the women’s race a smaller version of the same thing. It has its own structure, calendar position and tactical rhythm. Our guide to the Tour de France Femmes vs the Tour de France explains those differences in more detail.
Why this matters for the race’s growth
The 21-team field also says something about where the Tour de France Femmes now sits.
The race is no longer just proving that it belongs. It is now being shaped as a top-level stage race with a defined professional structure. The presence of all 14 WorldTeams keeps the sporting level high, while the seven ProTeams add depth, national interest and a broader competitive base.
The modern Tour de France Femmes has quickly built its own identity. Our complete history of the Tour de France Femmes and Tour de France Femmes winners list show how the race has developed from earlier women’s Tour history into the current modern version.
-
Photo Credit: Getty
Verdict: 21 teams and 147 riders
The Tour de France Femmes 2026 will have 21 teams and 147 riders if every team starts with its full seven-rider squad.
The field is made up of all 14 UCI Women’s WorldTeams and seven UCI Women’s ProTeams, with no Continental teams selected.
That gives the race a compact, elite peloton for nine days of racing from Switzerland to France. It also makes team selection crucial. With seven riders per squad, every helper, climber, sprinter, lead-out rider and road captain has to justify their place.
FAQs
How many teams are in the Tour de France Femmes 2026?
There are 21 teams in the Tour de France Femmes 2026: 14 UCI Women’s WorldTeams and seven UCI Women’s ProTeams.
How many riders are in the Tour de France Femmes 2026?
There will be 147 riders if every team starts with a full squad. That is 21 teams multiplied by seven riders per team.
How many riders are on each Tour de France Femmes team?
Each team starts with seven riders.
Are all Women’s WorldTeams in the Tour de France Femmes 2026?
Yes. All 14 UCI Women’s WorldTeams are included in the selected field.
Are any Continental teams racing the Tour de France Femmes 2026?
No Continental teams are included in the 2026 selection. The non-WorldTeams in the race are all UCI Women’s ProTeams.
Where can I see the Tour de France Femmes 2026 startlist?
The latest provisional rider line-up is available on the Tour de France Femmes 2026 startlist on FirstCycling. This list can still change before the race begins.
When does the Tour de France Femmes 2026 start?
The race starts on Saturday 1 August 2026 in Lausanne, Switzerland, and runs until Sunday 9 August.
