Alex Baudin wins opening stage of Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes

French rider Alex Baudin (EF Education‑EasyPost) claimed his first WorldTour victory by soloing to the finish of the 146 km inaugural stage of the Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes, from Vizille to Saint‑Ismier. He broke away from a ten‑man escape group and rode alone over several categorized climbs, securing the King of the Mountains points and taking the overall race lead.

Portugal's João Almeida, riding for UAE Emirates after a brief illness, struggled on the demanding terrain and lost more than 24 minutes, finishing 147th. The podium was completed by Belgian Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin‑Premier Tech) in second and Frenchman Léo Bisiaux (Decathlon AG2R) in third. Several stage favorites, including Isaac del Toro, Paul Seixas, Juan Ayuso and Matteo Jorgenson, arrived within 44 seconds of Baudin, while other contenders such as Daniel Martínez, Ben Healy and Tobias Halland Johannessen were dropped.

The stage featured five climbs, including the second‑category Col de l’Arzelier and Côte de Quaix‑en‑Chartreuse, which fragmented the peloton and set the tone for the race’s mountainous profile.