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The 2026 women’s pro cycling calendar is the most structured and globally balanced season in the history of elite women’s racing. The UCI Women’s WorldTour now follows a clear annual rhythm: an Australian season opener, a dense European classics block, a Grand Tour stage-race spine, a summer peak around the Tour de France Femmes, and a late-season finale ending with the UCI Road World Championships. Several important date shifts and race-format upgrades make 2026 a landmark year for teams, sponsors, and fans.
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The 2026 UCI Women’s WorldTour season runs from January in Australia to October in China, featuring 27 WorldTour events including the Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia Women, and La Vuelta Femenina, followed by the UCI Road World Championships in Montréal.
Quick Facts: 2026 Women’s WorldTour Season
• Season runs January to October
• 27 confirmed Women’s WorldTour events
• Opens in Australia with Tour Down Under
• Spring classics block across Belgium, France, Italy, Netherlands
• Three Grand Tour-level stage races: Vuelta, Giro, Tour de France Femmes
• Five-day Tour de Suisse Women upgraded format
• Tour de France Femmes runs 1–9 August
• UCI Road World Championships in Montréal, 20–27 September
• Season finale in China
• Simac Ladies Tour removed from WorldTour for 2026
How the 2026 Women’s Season Is Structured
The UCI designed the 2026 calendar to deliver predictable season flow. This helps broadcasters plan coverage, teams build performance peaks, and sponsors activate campaigns across the year.
The structure follows five distinct phases:
• Early-season international launch
• European spring classics
• Stage-race and Grand Tour block
• Summer peak around Tour de France Femmes
• Autumn Worlds and China finale
This structure mirrors men’s calendar logic, a major step in professional parity.
Season Opener: Australia Launch Block
Santos Tour Down Under (Stage Race)
Dates: 17–19 January 2026
Location: Australia
The season begins with the Tour Down Under, giving women’s cycling a high-visibility opening outside Europe. Warm weather racing, early UCI points, and strong broadcast presence make it the year’s first benchmark event.
Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (One-Day)
Date: 31 January 2026
Location: Australia
A fast coastal classic that closes the Australian opener before teams move to the Middle East and Europe.
Early-Season and Spring Classics Block
Middle East Stage Race
UAE Tour Women – 5–8 February
The UAE Tour provides early sprint and GC opportunities and has become a key sponsor-driven visibility event.
European Classics Sequence
From late February to late April, the calendar delivers an uninterrupted classics campaign:
• Omloop Nieuwsblad – 28 February
• Strade Bianche Donne – 7 March
• Trofeo Alfredo Binda – 15 March
• Milano–Sanremo Donne – 21 March
• The Great Sprint Classic – 26 March
• Gent–Wevelgem – 29 March
• Dwars door Vlaanderen – 1 April
• Ronde van Vlaanderen – 5 April
• Paris–Roubaix Femmes – 12 April
• Amstel Gold Race – 19 April
• Flèche Wallonne – 22 April
• Liège–Bastogne–Liège – 26 April
This continuous block allows classics specialists to build form logically rather than skipping between scattered dates, a major improvement over earlier calendars.
Grand Tour Stage-Race Backbone
La Vuelta Femenina
Dates: 3–10 May
The first of the season’s Grand Tour-level events. Often the opening GC peak for climbers and all-rounders.
Itzulia Women
Dates: 15–17 May
A short but mountainous Basque stage race that bridges into the Italian block.
Vuelta a Burgos Feminas
Dates: 21–24 May
A proven GC warm-up event that now sits perfectly before the Giro.
Giro d’Italia Women
Dates: 30 May – 7 June
Italy’s historic stage race remains the longest-running women’s Grand Tour event. The 2026 calendar places it earlier in the year to avoid summer broadcast clashes and improve narrative flow into the Tour de France Femmes.
Switzerland and Denmark Upgrades
Tour de Suisse Women (Upgraded Format)
Dates: 17–21 June
Now expanded to five days, making it a stronger mid-season GC event and an important preparation race for July targets.
Copenhagen Sprint
Date: 13 June
Moved earlier to avoid overlap and deliver a clean sprint-specialist spotlight event.
Summer Peak: Tour de France Femmes Block
Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
Dates: 1–9 August
The season’s main global audience anchor. Nine days of racing, full broadcast coverage, and the strongest start lists of the year. The Tour now defines sponsor value, media attention, and rider marketability in women’s cycling.
Tour of Britain Women
Dates: 20–23 August
Provides post-Tour opportunities for sprinters and breakaway specialists.
Classic Lorient Agglomération
Date: 29 August
A late-summer one-day event closing the French block.
Autumn and World Championships Peak
Tour de Romandie Féminin
Dates: 4–6 September
A final European stage race before the World Championships.
UCI Road World Championships
Dates: 20–27 September
Location: Montréal, Canada
The season’s ultimate single-race target. National team selection, sponsor exposure, and career legacy converge here.
China Season Finale
Tour of Chongming Island
Dates: 13–15 October
Tour of Guangxi Women
Date: 18 October
These closing events complete the season and provide final UCI points before off-season reset.
Major Changes vs 2025
• Simac Ladies Tour removed from WorldTour level
• Tour de Suisse Women expanded to five days
• Copenhagen Sprint rescheduled
• Giro d’Italia Women repositioned earlier
• Overall WorldTour race count adjusted to 27 events
These changes improve narrative flow, reduce date conflicts, and strengthen broadcast planning.
What Remains Provisional
While WorldTour dates are UCI-approved, minor logistical adjustments can still occur due to:
• City hosting agreements
• Road-safety approvals
• Broadcast scheduling
• Weather risk mitigation
However, the overall 2026 structure is now considered locked for team planning.
Why the 2026 Calendar Matters
For the first time, women’s cycling operates a season that:
• Mirrors men’s structural logic
• Offers predictable performance peaks
• Supports long-term sponsorship planning
• Encourages consistent broadcast storytelling
• Builds year-round fan engagement
This is a foundational step toward full commercial maturity of women’s professional cycling.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2026 women’s WorldTour season start?
The season starts in January 2026 with the Santos Tour Down Under in Australia.
How many Women’s WorldTour races are in 2026?
There are 27 confirmed Women’s WorldTour events in the 2026 calendar.
When is the Tour de France Femmes in 2026?
The Tour de France Femmes runs from 1–9 August 2026.
When is the Giro d’Italia Women in 2026?
The Giro d’Italia Women runs from 30 May to 7 June 2026.
Where are the 2026 Road World Championships?
The 2026 UCI Road World Championships take place in Montréal, Canada, from 20–27 September.
