Tour Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes 2026: The most important facts in brief
- Date: 7-14 June, 8 stages
- Distance~ 1208 kilometres
- Start: Vizille, Goal: Plateau de Solaison - Brison
- UCI category: WorldTour
- Organiser: A.S.O.
- Premiere: 1947, 78th edition
- Last year's winner: Tadej Pogačar
The Critérium du Dauphine has a new name: Since this season the tour is called Tour Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes. The 78th edition of the stage race also offers both sprinters and climbers the chance to win on the day. In addition to the four mountain stages and three stages with an undulating profile, a team time trial awaits on the third day - instead of an individual time trial as last year. The race takes place over eight days, starting in Vizille and finishing in the French Alps on the Plateau de Solaison in Brison.
Tour Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes 2026: Stage plan
Stage 1 | Sunday, 7 June 2026 | Vizille - Saint-Ismier | 146.2 kilometres | 2985 vertical metres
The first stage leads from Vizille to Saint-Ismier and is a tough one: almost 3000 metres in altitude have to be conquered on the mountain stage at the start of the tour. With two relatively short and three long categorised climbs, it offers several opportunities for breakaway attempts.
Stage 2 | Monday, 8 June 2026 | Saint-Martin-Le-Vinoux - Le Puy-en-Velay | 234.3 kilometres | 3345 vertical metres
The second day will cover the most kilometres. The 234-kilometre stage takes the riders from Saint-Martin-Le-Vinoux to Le Puy-en-Velay. There are also some long climbs on the rather undulating profile on stage two. Despite the rather moderate gradient, it is questionable whether the sprinters will be able to keep up and decide the finale among themselves.
Stage 3 | Tuesday, 9 June 2026 | Perreux - Perreux | 28.4 kilometres (team time trial) | 420 vertical metres
A time trial is also part of the tour again. However, unlike last year, a team time trial will be held this year. This should serve as the ultimate test for the team time trial at the opening stage of this year's Tour de France. The 28.4 kilometre circuit, with start and finish in Perreux, will take the teams over 420 metres in altitude, which will be quite a challenge.
Stage 4 | Wednesday, 10 June 2026 | Le Puy-en-Velay - Montrond-les-Bains | 167.4 kilometres | 2230 vertical metres
The fourth stage from Le Puy-en-Velay to Montrond-les-Bains offers the sprinters who can handle the hills the chance of a stage win. As the last 50 kilometres are downhill and mostly flat, breakaways are unlikely to have a free ride.
Stage 5 | Thursday, 11 June 2026 | Saint-Chamond - Parc des Oiseaux - Villars-les-Dombes | 195.8 kilometres | 2420 vertical metres
The fifth stage is also a case for the sprinters. After an undulating first half, only a few metres of climbing await in the second section of the route. As the last three stages become more mountainous again, it is also the last chance for the sprinters to win the day.
Stage 6 | Friday, 12 June 2026 | Saint-Vulbas - Crest-Voland | 182.3 kilometres | 2850 vertical metres
Stage six starts off flat, but includes several long climbs including a mountain finish in Crest-Voland, which puts the climbers in the spotlight.
Stage 7 | Saturday, 13 June 2026 | La Bridoire - Grand Colombier | 133.6 kilometres | 3810 vertical metres
On the penultimate day, 3810 metres of climbing await the riders. The 133-kilometre route leads the riders from La Bridoire over five categorised climbs before the showdown on the climb to the Grand Colombier: 8.4 kilometres with an average gradient of 10.2 percent speak for themselves.
Stage 8 | Sunday, 14 June 2026 | Beaufort - Plateau de Solaison - Brison | 120.1 kilometres | 3860 vertical metres
The final stage is where the most metres in altitude of the eight-day tour have to be conquered, promising a tough finale. From Beaufort, there are almost continuous ups and downs, with long, energy-sapping climbs and a literally breathtaking mountain arrival on the Plateau de Solaison in Brison. This is where the final winner of the tour is decided.
Tour Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes 2026: TV broadcast & live stream
In Germany, the Tour Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes 2026 can be seen on television on Eurosport and for a fee on Eurosport 2. A paid live stream of all stages is also available on Discovery Plus.
Lukas Niebuhr
Working student
