Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 Preview | Plenty of climbing for Van Aert and co at pre-Tour de France benchmark
CyclingWednesday, 03 June 2026 at 16:15
The Giro d’Italia is over, and the focus now shifts fully to the Tour de France. The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, formerly the Critérium du Dauphiné, is the traditional preparation race for thhe Tour.,Which is why plenty of stars are heading to the Lyon area again this year. What can Wout van Aert and Paul Seixas and others expect in the “new Dauphiné”? IDL Pro Cycling takes a look ahead.
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Why did the Critérium du Dauphiné change it's name?
The Tour Auvergne what? Yes, even the Dauphiné has had to give in to modernisation in 2026, and so its iconic name has been consigned to history. In its place comes a new name, with the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, created in 2016 through the merger of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes, at the centre of it all.
The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes itself has a long history, with the 78th edition on the road in 2026. Going back further, riders such as Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Lance Armstrong have won it, while more recently the honours have gone to the likes of Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič. Quite a roll of honour.
Recent winners Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
2025 Tadej Pogacar
2024 Primoz Roglic
2023 Jonas Vingegaard
2022 Primoz Roglic
2021 Richie Porte
2020 Daniel Felipe Martínez
2019 Jakob Fuglsang
2018 Geraint Thomas
2017 Jakob Fuglsang
2016 Chris Froome
Route, favorites daily wins and times Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026
Stage 1, Sunday, June 7, 2026: Vizille - Saint-Ismier (146.2 km)
There will be no gentle start for the riders, as Sunday begins with plenty of climbing straight away. The road rises quickly from the start and there are five categorised climbs on the menu. The last one is also the hardest, with the summit more than 20 kilometres from the finish. And note this: it still kicks up nastily towards the line in Saint-Ismier. Will the GC teams take control straight away?
Favorites
Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana)
Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor)
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana)
Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor)
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Times
Start: 11:15 a.m CET
Finish: around 2:50 p.m CET
Start: 11:15 a.m CET
Finish: around 2:50 p.m CET
Stage 2, Monday, June 8, 2026: Saint-Martin-Le-Vinoux - Le Puy-en-Velay (234.3 km)
Phew! Monday brings the longest stage of the race, at a huge 234.3 kilometres. The opening phase includes two climbs before things level out for a while. The second half of the stage takes place on a plateau, with more than enough climbing left in the legs. There will then be a fast descent to the finish. Breakaway riders and attackers, take note!
Favorites
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS)
Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS)
Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost)
Times
Start: 11:30 a.m CET
Finish: around 5:05 p.m CET
Start: 11:30 a.m CET
Finish: around 5:05 p.m CET
Stage 3, Tuesday, June 9, 2026: Perreux - Perreux (team time trial 28.4 km)
Tuesday will be an important day on the road to the Tour de France, as we get a team time trial in and around Perreux. The chrono is not completely flat either, with two small climbs along the way. Up to the second intermediate time check it is also fairly twisty, but the second half is more straightforward.
Favorites
Visma | Lease a Bike
Netcompany INEOS
UAE Team Emirates-XRG
Visma | Lease a Bike
Netcompany INEOS
UAE Team Emirates-XRG
Times
Start: 3:05 p.m CET (first team)
Finish: around 5 p.m CET (last team)
Start: 3:05 p.m CET (first team)
Finish: around 5 p.m CET (last team)
Stage 4, Wednesday, June 10, 2026: Le Puy en Velay - Montrond-les-Bains (167.4 km)
On day four, the organisers have also ensured the climbs come thick and fast. In the middle part of the 167.4-kilometre stage, things really move quickly, with no fewer than five climbs in a little over 40 kilometres. The final 35 kilometres are flat, though, so attackers will have to be very brave...
Favorites
Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Benoît Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Benoît Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Times
Start: 1:15 p.m CET
Finish: around 5:10 p.m CET
Start: 1:15 p.m CET
Finish: around 5:10 p.m CET
Stage 5, Thursday, June 11, 2026: Saint-Chamond - Villars-les-Dombes (195.8 km)
Fast men, brace yourselves, because Thursday offers a rare opportunity. From the start in Saint-Chamond, the road rises immediately and the kilometres that follow are not flat either, but from the intermediate sprint, about halfway through, the riders finally get some flat roads. A sprint is expected at the bird park in Villars-les-Dombes.
Favorites
Bryan Coquard (Cofidis)
Hugo Hofstetter (NSN)
Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS)
Bryan Coquard (Cofidis)
Hugo Hofstetter (NSN)
Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS)
Times
Start: 12:45 p.m CET
Finish: around 5:05 p.m CET
Start: 12:45 p.m CET
Finish: around 5:05 p.m CET
Stage 6, Friday, June 12, 2026: Saint-Vulbas - Crest-Voland (182.3km)
The men with GC ambitions have had to wait a while, but on Friday we finally get the first mountain stage. It is part one of a tough final weekend, with the finish in Crest-Voland. Just before that, the Côte d’Hért-sur-Ugine also has to be climbed, while two other climbs feature along the route. Do we see an early selection here?
Favorites
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)
João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)
João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Times
Start: 12:45 p.m CET
Finish: around 5:05 p.m CET
Start: 12:45 p.m CET
Finish: around 5:05 p.m CET
Stage 7, Saturday, June 13, 2026: La Bridoire - Grand Colombier (133.6 km)
Part two of the final weekend starts on Saturday in La Bridoire, before the riders finish atop the Grand Colombier after 133.6 kilometres. Along the way there are some tough climbs, with the Lacets du Grand Colombier (7 kilometres at 8.4%) and the Col de Richemond (7.7 kilometres at 6%), before the finish comes on the 8.4-kilometre final climb at 10.2%.
Favorites
Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek)
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek)
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Times
Start: 12:25 p.m CET
Finish: around 4 p.m CET
Start: 12:25 p.m CET
Finish: around 4 p.m CET
Stage 8, Sunday, June 14, 2026: Beaufort - Plateau de Solaison (120.1 km)
The final stage on Sunday is not long, but it is certainly tough. There is almost no flat road in the route, with the Col du Pré opening proceedings straight away. After the Montée de Bisanne and the Col des Aravis, the French eight-day race ends on the Plateau de Solaison, a 11.3-kilometre climb at 9.1%. Anyone who wants to force the issue on the final day gets the ideal parcours for it
Favorites
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Oscar Onley (Netcompany INEOS)
Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Oscar Onley (Netcompany INEOS)
Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Times
Start: 1:30 p.m CET
Finish: around 5 p.m CET
Start: 1:30 p.m CET
Finish: around 5 p.m CET
GC Favorites Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026
No Pogačar, no Vingegaard, no Roglič... so who does that leave? Plenty. First of all, Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) begins his Tour preparation here, and the French super-talent does so after a brilliant spring. With Pogačar and Vingegaard absent, Seixas is already the top favourite, while his team also brings Matthew Riccitello.
Still, the field in France is extremely strong. Lidl-Trek lines up both Juan Ayuso and Mattias Skjelmose, while UAE Team Emirates-XRG also has two cards to play in Isaac Del Toro and João Almeida. With the Portuguese rider, though, there is still a question mark over his form after dealing with vague symptoms all spring.
Visma | Lease a Bike brings Wout van Aert as its star, but is also using Matteo Jorgenson, who reshuffled his programme, as team leader. For the Killer Bees, it will also be interesting to see how far Jørgen Nordhagen can go in such a strong field. Uno-X is backing Tobias Halland Johannessen, last year’s Tour de france 6th place.
Netcompany INEOS also arrives with a very strong squad. With Oscar Onley, Kévin Vauquelin and Oscar Rodríguez, it can play multiple cards. It will also be interesting to see how Ben Healy’s GC ambitions develop at EF Education-EasyPost, while Cian Uijtdebroeks (Movistar) continues his Tour preparation.
At Soudal Quick-Step, Valentin Paret-Peintre, last year’s winner of the Tour stage to Mont Ventoux, looks set to ride for himself again, although The Wolfpack also has Junior Lecerf in the team. Also worth watching in France: Ion Izagirre (Cofidis), Santiago Buitrago, Pello Bilbao (both Bahrain Victorious), Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla) and Harold Tejada (XDS Astana).
2026 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes start list
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
IDL Pro Cycling top picks 2026 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes?
Top favorite: Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Outsiders: Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek)
Long shots: Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X), Oscar Onley, Kévin Vauquelin (Netcompany INEOS), Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and Cian Uijtdebroeks (Movistar)
Outsiders: Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek)
Long shots: Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X), Oscar Onley, Kévin Vauquelin (Netcompany INEOS), Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and Cian Uijtdebroeks (Movistar)
How to watch Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 on TV?
Below you can find where to watch the racing on television in English:
| Country | Service | Link |
| United Kingdom | HBO Max (subscription) | Click Here |
| USA | Peacock (subscription) | Click Here |
| Canada | FloBikes (subscription) | Click Here |
| Australia | SBS on Demand (free) | Click Here |
| Europe | Eurosport | Click Here |
IDL-productions
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Latest Comments
- The only cyclist who can beat Tadej is Tadej.
Brucegel09-05-2026 - Enough of this b.s. already.Just tell the world all you suspicious people what would satisfy you that he is not doping.live real time urinating and testing?.Live real time blood draws 5 seconds after a race is over?.Fecal analysis.WTF will satisfy you?Brucegel03-05-2026
- This suspicion could be laid to rest by what? What would make all doubters happy that Pogi is clean? Just tell the world all you Frenchmen et al what you want as protocol.You will never be satisfied.That is your level of mindless groundless suspicions.Brucegel03-05-2026
- Here is a novel idea......it's a road bike race, stick to smooth asphalt courses! Cobble is like mild off-road cross riding!!!!Germanrazor14-04-2026
- To lose a race like that on a mechanical problem in this day and age is unforgivable. Why aren't all riders using the same (interchangeable) gear? It is the job of the team manager to manage and reduce risk variables. The fact that he not only didn't pick up on the potential issue but actually ok'd it is just madness.fatehasfans13-04-2026
- Rider X, y and z? Could you update?yaNzKEWL21-03-2026
- Can anyone help me understand the thinking behind the two punishments? Are the commissaires saying you get thrown out of the race for a second inadvertent disposal of a bidon (even to the delight of fans) but that as long as you can afford it you can show off your phalangeal cuticles all day long on international TV? Aking for a friend.packfiller7112-03-2026
- It's a bit embarrassing that. Isn't the main sponsor supposed to keep them at 36.5 ?tomjacques03-03-2026
- They were close to cracking a very tired Tadej that wasn't fully focused on the TdF with a team of riders focused solely on cracking Tadej. And if they cracked him, he would have still won. Tadej won't be racing the giro this year. It'll be an even easier win for him.Veganpotter09-02-2026
- Nice!Bea22-01-2026
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