Only One Uphill Finish, but Climbers Will Still Feast at Tour of the Alps 2026

The organizers of the Tour of the Alps have unveiled the route for the upcoming edition. The five-day stage race in Austria and Italy traditionally features plenty of climbing. In 2026, the race will take place from Monday, April 20 to Friday, April 24.

The Tour of the Alps will start next year in Austria. The 141.8-kilometer opening stage — with start and finish in Innsbruck — is the easiest of the race, with 1700 meters of elevation gain. However, the finale includes two ascents of the Götzens climb (4 km at 7%). The last twenty kilometers are flat, though.

On day two, the only uphill finish awaits. Over 147.5 kilometers, the route runs from Telfs to Val Martello, featuring an almost seven-kilometer climb averaging nine percent over three kilometers. Along the way, riders also face the Piller Hohe (9.2 km at 6%) and Passo Resia (15.8 km at 3.4%), bringing the total elevation gain to 2550 meters.

That is just a fraction compared to the elevation on stage three: 3620 meters. This stage, taking riders from Latsch to Arco, has a particularly tough first section. After the Passo Castrin climb (22.2 km at 5.7%) and the ascent to Andola (14.4 km at 5.4%), the hardest slopes are behind them. Still, the terrain afterward is far from flat.

The fourth stage features even more climbing, with a total of 3900 meters. This is mainly due to the Passo Bordala (14.8 km at 6.9%) and Passo Redebus (12.9 km at 6.8%). Again, the second part of the stage is somewhat easier, but the finale remains a series of ups and downs. The finish in Trento comes after a descent.

On Friday, the Tour of the Alps concludes with a short but explosive stage. After several shorter climbs in the early part, the finale features the Montoppio (12.7 km at 7%) and the climb to Cologna di Sopra. The summit of the final climb lies about fifteen kilometers from the finish line in Bolzano, where the overall winner will be crowned.

2025
Last year, Michael Storer claimed victory in the race. Thymen Arensman, who impressively soloed to win stage four, finished second. The podium was rounded out by Derek Gee.