Isère and Ain gear up for major cycling events including Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes 2026

The Isère department launched its summer tourism season on 28 May in Saint‑Martin‑de‑Vaulserre, using the start of the Alpes Isère Tour to promote cycling. Officials highlighted a slate of upcoming races: two stages of the Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes (7‑8 June), the French elite road championships in the Vals du Dauphiné (25‑28 June), and four Tour de France stages crossing the department (22‑25 July) with finishes in Voiron and at Alpe d’Huez. Authorities expect 40 000‑50 000 visitors for the championships and cite the region’s extensive cycling infrastructure, including 25 departmental loops, two long‑distance bike routes and numerous gravel and mountain‑bike trails.

In the neighbouring Ain department, preparations are underway for the inaugural edition of the Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes 2026, the rebranded successor to the historic Critérium du Dauphiné. The race will feature three key stages in the department, including a finish at Villars‑les‑Dombes, a mountain stage from Saint‑Vulbas to Crest‑Voland, and a decisive summit finish on the Grand Colombier. Organisers aim to showcase the region’s landscapes to a worldwide TV audience and to provide a decisive battleground for riders ahead of the Tour de France.