Tour de France stage 11 preview: flat 161 km sprint stage from Vichy to Nevers on 15 July
After the first rest day, the 113th Tour de France resumes on Wednesday 15 July with a 161.3 km flat stage from Vichy to Nevers, where the peloton's fastest finishers are expected to contest the win.
The route
Stage 11 of the 2026 Tour de France runs 161.3 kilometres from Vichy in the Allier department to Nevers in the Nièvre. The profile is almost entirely flat, with only 1,400 metres of cumulative elevation gain, making it one of the shortest and fastest stages of this year's race. Organisers have classified the day as a flat stage, and the final 30 kilometres are completely level with a slight descending trend, which should allow sprint trains to form without difficulty.
Key climbs and the intermediate sprint
Two minor climbs punctuate the otherwise flat parcours. The first, the Côte de Billonnière, arrives after roughly 32 kilometres: a fourth-category ascent averaging 5.8% over one kilometre. The second, the Côte de Billy-Chevannes, is also fourth-category, with 1.4 kilometres at 5.4%, located around 40 kilometres from the finish in Nevers. The intermediate sprint comes early, at Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule, 27.5 kilometres after the start, which could tempt the green-jersey contenders to control the race from the outset.
The sprinters' opportunity
After a demanding stage in the Massif Central that packed 3,800 metres of positive elevation, the flat run to Nevers is a clear invitation for the fast men. Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) will be chasing a third stage win on this Grande Boucle, having already taken authoritative victories in Bordeaux and Bergerac on stages 7 and 8. Other names expected to feature in the final dash include Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Biniam Girmay (NSN), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Max Kanter (XDS Astana), and Olav Kooij.
Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) could target a third success on this 113th Grande Boucle after his commanding wins in Bordeaux and Bergerac in the 7th and 8th stages.
Weather and conditions
Heat remains a concern across central France, with weather alerts in place for the persistent heatwave and also for storms around race time. Riders will need to stay hydrated and positioned near the front to avoid crashes on what is expected to be a high-speed day.
Timings and how to watch
The publicity caravan will leave Vichy around 11:50 CEST and is scheduled to reach Nevers at 15:35. The peloton's official start is set for 14:05, with the finish projected around 17:31. In Italy, the stage will be broadcast live on Rai 2, RaiSport, and Eurosport, with streaming available on RaiPlay, HBO Max, Discovery+, DAZN, TIMvision, and Prime Video Channels. Belgian viewers can follow the action on RTBF platforms from 13:20.
- Publicity caravan departs Vichy
- Peloton start in Vichy
- Intermediate sprint at Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule (km 27.5)
- Côte de Billonnière (4th cat., 1 km at 5.8%)
- Caravan arrival in Nevers
- Côte de Billy-Chevannes (4th cat., 1.4 km at 5.4%)
- Expected stage finish in Nevers
General classification context
Tadej Pogačar remains in the yellow jersey as one of the top favourites for overall victory. The Slovenian showed his ambition again on the 14 July stage and will likely use this flat day to conserve energy ahead of tougher tests later in the race. The points classification battle, however, could see significant movement if the sprinters' teams succeed in setting up a bunch finish.
