The 2026 Tour de Suisse Women begins on Wednesday June 17 in Sondrio, northern Italy, with defending champion Marlen Reusser (Movistar) leading the field into a five-stage, 459km race that now shares stage locations with the men's event for the first time.
Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) has opted to skip the race to rest before the Tour de France Femmes, and her absence, combined with the return of a 23.7km individual time trial, tilts the route firmly toward Reusser and other complete stage racers.
The women's race will run before the men's race each day throughout the week across the five stages as part of the new combined format put together by the organisers for 2026. This is the 10th edition of the women's race and stretches to five days for the first time while the men's drops from eight stages to five as well. Around 90 riders from 16 teams are on the startlist.
Tour director David Loosli has framed the route in blunt terms. "We have designed a route that is demanding from day one and allows virtually no time to recover," he said. "Every stage has the potential to impact the overall classification."
The race offers two hilly opening stages, one likely sprint day, a flat technical time trial and a mountain finale at Villars-sur-Ollon. There is no transition day and no quiet stretch for GC riders to hide.
Race Stages
5 Stages • 461.6km total
| Stage | Date | Route | Distance | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 17 | Küssnacht | 103.5 km | Road Stage |
| 2 | Jun 18 | Küssnacht - Brunnen | 15.8 km | Time Trial |
| 3 | Jun 19 | Brunnen - Amden | 118.2 km | Road Stage |
| 4 | Jun 20 | Amden - Hospental | 125.4 km | Road Stage |
| 5 | Jun 21 | Hospental | 98.7 km | Road Stage |
A route for complete riders
The opening two stages suit similar riders with a lumpy finale bringing both days to a close. Stage 1 starting and finishing in Sondrio is the hardest of the two with three categorised climbs that are short and sharp with the peloton likely to be broken up easily on the technical terrain. Stage 2 in Locarno is similar but a bit flatter with the two climbs coming right towards the end of the day, which should rule out any sprinter's hopes and favour more towards the puncheurs.
The third stage is the only real chance for the sprinters with the day starting in Bad Ragaz, it is a tough start with a climb right from the flag wave, but after that short effort it is almost entirely flat to the line, albeit slightly rising for the final 15km.
The final two stages are where the GC will be shaped most, though. Stage 4 is a tough, technical and flat time trial with the likes of world time trial champion Reusser likely keen to put as much time as she can into her rivals before the final stage in the Alps.
The fifth and final stage is a brutal circuit starting and finishing in Villars-sur-Ollon with around 3000 metres of elevation gain in one day, the two laps see the riders climb the Col de la Croix in it's entirety just twice, but they do the second half right from the start and the first half to the finish in a brutal and technical day. Any time lost in the time trial could absolutely be pulled back on this day Loosli said of the finale: "It's almost always either uphill or downhill. This is where the Tour is decided, and the overall classification can be completely turned upside down until the very end."
Contenders
Marlen Reusser enters as the clear favourite. She won the 2025 Tour de Suisse by attacking late on the final stage, has a proven time trial that should thrive on the Aarburg course. As the home rider with Liane Lippert (Movistar) providing support on the hilly stages, her route to victory is the clearest of any contender. Reusser will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing Giro as she builds toward the Tour later in the summer.
Tour de Suisse Women 2026 Startlist
Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) is the most complete alternative. She finished fourth at the Giro d'Italia Women and took a stage win after an incredible final day that saw her, Vollering and Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM) completely flip the race on it's head. The Italian champion is still coming back to her best after illness, but she is absolutely a contender.
Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM) will be hoping to re-find the excellent form she had in the Classics after a disappointing La Vuelta Femenina where she struggled on the climbs against the top names and finished 8th in the final GC. The time trial may cause her the most issues but her climbing and descending skills when on top form could mean she is a real danger on the final stage.
Femke de Vries (Visma | Lease a Bike) has quietly assembled one of the most consistent seasons in the peloton. She was sixth overall at the Giro d'Italia Women, third behind Longo Borghini at the UAE Tour, and matched established GC riders on the Finestre stage, finishing with Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime). She has yet to win a professional race, but a route that rewards steadiness across different terrain types could yield a podium.
Urška Žigart (AG Insurance-Soudal) was second overall at the Tour de Romandie last year and seventh on L'Angliru at the 2026 Vuelta Femenina, finishing sixth overall there and eighth overall at the Giro. Her climbing has improved in recent seasons, and a strong ride on the Col de la Croix could push her into the top five or higher.
Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-Suez) comes into the race after helping Vollering to an amazing Giro win. She showed fantastic form where she said the team worked for her to be on top form there. Has her form lasted for this race? If it has then she could be a real contender for a podium.
Beyond the main GC group, Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Premier Tech) is a rider to watch after winning the Vuelta a Burgos overall and finishing second in the Tour of the Basque Country. Nienke Vinke (SD Worx-Protime) and Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) are capable of stage wins or a high GC placing if the road suits them. FDJ United-SUEZ rider Juliette Berthet comes in off the back of a podium finish at the Tour Feminin de Pyrenees and could get a top result here.
Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek), Nadia Gontova (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), Clémence Latimier (Ma Petite Enterprise) and Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly are all names that should be watched for in the race for the GC as well.
Riders to watch for for stage wins are Sarah Van Dam (Visma | Lease a Bike), Zoe Backstedt (Canyon-SRAM), Letizia Borghesi (AG Insurance-Soudal), Lily Williams (Human Powered Health), Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez), Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek), Marta Lach (SD Worx-Protime), Letizia Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) and many more besides.
Warm conditions are forecast for Stage 1 in Sondrio, with temperatures expected around 31°C, though scattered showers remain possible later in the day.
Stage 1 can already split the favourites on Wednesday, but Aarburg and Villars-sur-Ollon should decide who leaves Switzerland in the leader's jersey.
Cover image credit: Pauline Ballet
