Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes 2026: breakaway victory, stage previews and streaming details

The 2026 Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes, the former Critérium du Dauphiné, opened with a 146‑km stage from Vizille to Saint‑Ismier in which Alex Baudin (EF‑Education‑EasyPost) won after a long solo escape. The second stage, the longest at 234 km to Le Puy‑en‑Vélay, was won by Norway’s Anthon Charmig, who attacked on the final climb and held off the chase of Movistar’s Raúl García Pierna.

Top Grand Tour champions such as Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard were absent, shifting attention to emerging talents like French teenager Paul Seixas, Dutch rider Tobias Johannessen and other dark‑horse contenders. Stage 3 will feature a 28.4 km team‑time‑trial around Perreux, the race’s first major GC checkpoint, where squads can gain decisive seconds.

The race, now renamed to reflect the Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes region, continues to serve as a key warm‑up for the Tour de France. Broadcasters across Europe, the UK, the US and Australia will air the event, with options for VPN‑enabled streaming for viewers outside the covered territories.