Charmig proves strongest from Tour Auvergne–Rhône‐Alpes break, peloton waits for crucial team time trial
CyclingMonday, 08 June 2026 at 17:22
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Follow us on GoogleAnthon Charmig won the second stage of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The Uno-X Mobility rider proved to be the strongest of a ten-rider breakaway. Alex Baudin finished in the peloton, which was mainly saving its strength for Tuesday’s team time trial, and kept the lead in the general classification.
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The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes started on Sunday with a huge surprise. In the difficult opening stage, it stayed relatively calm among the main favourites, and that meant early escapee Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) was impressively able to stay ahead of the peloton. The Frenchman thus started stage two in the yellow jersey, and that one was not easy either.
It was the longest stage of the race, and packed with hilly terrain. Too light for the favourites, it seemed, and so the focus was mainly on the breakaway riders. The attackers knew that themselves too, and so there was a fierce battle to get into the break. But soon we had a small group that had built up an advantage.
Charmig (Uno-X Mobility), Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarché), Alex Diaz (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA), Nadav Raisberg (NSN), Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) and Henri-François Renard-Haquin (Picnic PostNL) were joined shortly afterwards by four others: Clément Braz Afonso (Groupama-FDJ), Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies), Vlad Van Mechelen (Bahrain Victorious) and Raúl García Pierna (Movistar) made the crossing.
Continue reading below the photo!
Favorite Godon dropped early
Favourite Godon lost earlyAfter two hours of racing, their advantage was about six minutes, while it started to rain. The question then was mainly whether the peloton still felt like pulling them back. Braz Afonso, at 5:35 from leader Baudin, was the only dangerous rider in the breakaway for the general classification, and so EF Education-EasyPost started riding on the front to keep the gap somewhat under control.
That did bring them a little closer. It also meant Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS) was dropped, despite being one of the main favourites for the stage win. The break’s advantage then briefly fell to 4:30, but after that the gap went back up to five minutes. EF Education received no support from other teams and did not really have the ambition to bring the break back anyway.
Meanwhile, the riders at the front increasingly began to believe they could win the stage, and that created nervousness. Veistroffer chose to attack with 45 kilometres to go. Braz Afonso was alert and jumped onto his wheel. The pair gained 20 seconds, but behind them they kept working together well, which made it difficult to ride further clear.
Continue reading below the video!
Stage battle rages, favourites keep team time trial powder dry
Battle for stage win in full swing, time-trial riders saving themselves for team time trialThe riders were also approaching a category 2 climb, 4 kilometres long at an average of 6.6 per cent. The heavier-built Veistroffer soon found it difficult to follow the pocket climber Braz Afonso there. As a result, the Frenchman had to continue alone. For the time being, at least, because Garcia Pierna and Van Mechelen tried to make the jump across to Braz Afonso.
The two, however, were unable to bridge the gap uphill and reached the summit 20 seconds behind Braz Afonso. In the peloton, which was now following at 5:30, riders including Wout van Aert, Joshua Tarling and Stefan Bissegger let it go. They were saving their strength for the team time trial, which had already been looming over the race because of the tame pace.
At the front, Garcia Pierna and Van Mechelen did make it back to Braz Afonso after a short descent. The newly formed trio, however, found themselves pursued by Charmig, Jegat, Thomas and Renard-Haquin. And not long after, they too came back.
That left seven riders still in contention for the stage win. The final two-kilometre climb at 6.8 per cent, with a little over ten kilometres to go, was the next chance for one of the breakaway riders to make a difference.
Charmig attacked straight from the foot, and once again Braz Afonso was alert. Garcia Pierna also made the junction, albeit with a bit more difficulty. Van Mechelen also wanted to make the jump but hung a little behind. Charmig then accelerated again at the front.
Read on below the video!
It was a strong attack from the Dane and Braz Afonso and Garcia Pierna had no answer. Charmig rounded the top with a small lead and still had a little over ten kilometres to cover, mainly downhill, to the finish in Le Puy-en-Velay.
Charmig did that convincingly. He clearly had the most left of all the breakaway riders and took half a minute on his chasers. That decided the race; Charmig handed Uno-X Mobility a fine victory. Behind him, Renard-Haquin won the sprint from Van Mechelen for second place.
Results stage 2 Tour Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes 2026
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Author: David Bavin-Hobbs - [email protected]
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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