The Tour de France will press ahead with its third stage to Les Angles on Monday, but the race will enter France under extraordinary restrictions as wildfires continue to burn in the eastern Pyrenees.
Organizers and local authorities confirmed that the stage from Granollers in Spain to Les Angles in southern France will go ahead in an adapted format, with spectators barred from the French section of the finale. The publicity caravan will also stop before the French border, allowing emergency services to keep roads clear and focus on the fire response.
The decision came after officials considered whether the stage should be cancelled or altered because of a large wildfire in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. Reuters reported that the blaze had burned more than 1,500 hectares, with hundreds of firefighters, vehicles and aircraft deployed to contain it. One firefighter and one resident were reported to be in critical condition.
The stage is expected to cover roughly 196 kilometers from Granollers to Les Angles and represents the race’s first mountain test of the 2026 edition. The finish near the ski resort would normally draw large roadside crowds, particularly on the climbs toward the Pyrenean village. This time, however, fans have been told not to attend, as the safety of residents, emergency crews, riders and race staff takes priority.
Race director Christian Prudhomme said the decision was made in coordination with the Pyrénées-Orientales prefecture. The final section of the route, including the climbs of Col du Calvaire and Les Angles, is set to proceed without spectators, creating an unusual image for a race famous for dense crowds lining mountain roads.
The wildfire threat has added another layer of uncertainty to a Tour already being shaped by extreme heat. Southern France and Catalonia have faced dangerous fire conditions, with high temperatures, dry terrain and strong winds complicating firefighting efforts. A separate wildfire in Catalonia, where the first two stages were held, had burned more than 2,000 hectares before being stabilized.
On the road, Isaac del Toro delivered the race’s first major individual breakthrough by winning stage two in Barcelona. The 22-year-old Mexican debutant, riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, became only the second Mexican rider to win a Tour de France stage, following Raúl Alcalá.
Del Toro’s victory came after a difficult day that included a mechanical problem and a delayed bike change. He fought back into contention before launching a decisive move on the Montjuïc climb, with teammate and defending champion Tadej Pogacar close behind. Pogacar finished second, while Remco Evenepoel was third and Jonas Vingegaard retained the yellow jersey.
The result tightened the early general classification battle. Pogacar reduced Vingegaard’s lead to six seconds, setting up an immediate test in the Pyrenees. What should have been a classic early mountain spectacle will now unfold in a quieter, more controlled atmosphere, with the drama of the race set against the far more urgent reality of a regional emergency.
For the Tour, the decision reflects a difficult balance: preserving the sporting contest while avoiding any additional burden on communities and emergency services. The riders will still face the road to Les Angles, but the absence of spectators will make stage three a stark reminder that the race is unfolding in a summer increasingly defined by climate risk, heat and fire.
