Vosges, France · from Guebwiller
Le Markstein
Tour de France 2026 · Stage 14 →Le Markstein from Guebwiller is the Vosges at full stretch: more than twenty kilometres from the wine-country floor to the ski station on the Route des Crêtes ridge road. No brutal ramps, no real recovery — a pure rhythm climb.
Summit elevation: 1184 m
Route sketch
Le Markstein · from Guebwiller
Schematic road geometry from OpenStreetMap routing; use it to see the shape of the climb, not for navigation.
How fast would you climb Le Markstein?
Enter your power and weight. A physics engine calculates your estimated time against the gradient profile.
Predict your
performance.
See how power and weight affect your time on a real climb.
*Demo simulation uses standard road bike physics (CdA 0.32, Crr 0.004).
Le Markstein and the Tour
The Markstein has featured regularly since the 1970s as both pass and finish, and the surrounding Grand Ballon-Markstein ridge is the modern Tour's preferred Vosges battleground.
In 2023 the Tour's final mountain stage finished here, won by Tadej Pogačar with Jonas Vingegaard sealing the overall. A year earlier the first Tour de France Femmes was decided on the Markstein's slopes. Stage 14 of the 2026 route finishes here again.
Won the 2023 Tour mountain stage finishing at Le Markstein, the final mountain showdown of that edition.
Riding it yourself
When to go
Open essentially year-round below 1,200 m, with April to October the cycling window. The exposed ridge finish catches wind; the forested body of the climb is well sheltered.
Base & logistics
Guebwiller in the wine country is the base for this longest side. At the top, the Route des Crêtes links directly to the Grand Ballon — the natural extension for a full Vosges traverse.
FAQ
How long is the Le Markstein climb?
From Guebwiller, the climb is about 22.4 km with roughly 925 m of elevation gain at 4.1% average gradient (based on the simplified profile used by this simulator; published figures vary slightly by source).
How long does it take to cycle up Le Markstein?
It depends almost entirely on your power-to-weight ratio. Use the simulator on this page: enter your FTP and weight, and a physics model (air resistance, rolling resistance, gravity) estimates your time on the gradient profile.
How accurate is the time simulation?
The simulator uses a simplified segment profile and standard road bike assumptions (CdA 0.32, Crr 0.004, 8 kg bike). It does not model wind, drafting, altitude, surface or pacing errors, so treat the result as a realistic estimate, not a guarantee.
How should I train for Le Markstein?
Sustained climbs reward steady threshold and sweet spot work plus a power-to-weight improvement over weeks, not days. TrainCraft builds structured cycling training plans and adapts them when you miss sessions, using fatigue science (CTL/ATL/TSB).
More famous climbs
Preparing for this climb?
A climb like this is won weeks in advance. TrainCraft builds a structured plan around your FTP and available hours, and adapts it when you miss a workout.
Start Training FreeThe profile is simplified into 73 segments for simulation; real gradients vary metre by metre. Stats shown are derived from this simulated profile and closely match commonly published figures. Time estimates assume standard road bike physics and no wind.
Training for a climb like this?
TrainCraft builds structured training plans and adapts them when life gets in the way — real fatigue science (CTL/ATL/TSB), visual workout builder, Strava & Garmin sync. Free to start.