Date | June 7-14, 2026 |
Start location | tbd |
Finish location | tbd |
Distance | tbd |
Category | WorldTour |
Previous edition | |
Previous winner | Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) |
Critérium du Dauphiné - Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes history
The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the new name for Critérium du Dauphiné, with organisers claiming it reflects the support of the host regions, than now includes deepr into central France.
The eight-day WorldTour competition, June 7-14, serves as a traditional build-up for the Tour de France and is also a prestigious victory on any riders palmares.
The race was first held in 1947, created by newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré much like the Tour started as a circulation booster for l’Auto. Originally branded as the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, ASO took the reins and changed the name in 2010.
Although the Dauphiné is considered a test for the Tour, only 11 riders have won both races, Bernard Hinault the first to do so in 1979 and 1981. Chris Froome won both races across 2013, 2015 and 2016. Since then, Geraint Thomas (2018) and Jonas Vingegaard (2023) have scored the double in the same year. Last year's winner Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) pulled out of the Tour ahead of stage 13 after crashing several times.
The most victories in the Dauphiné by a single rider stands at three: Luis Ocana (1970, 1972, 1973), Bernard Hinault (1977, 1979, 1981), Charly Mottet (1987, 1989, 1992), and Chris Froome (2013, 2015, 2016) are all tied for the record.
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) claimed overall victory in 2025, adding the Critérium du Dauphiné to his rich palmares. He topped the GC by 59 seconds on Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and 2:38 on Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-hangrohe).
Join Cyclingnews' coverage of the 2026 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes with race reports, results, photo galleries, news and race analysis.
Latest Content on the Race
'Usually I'm just hanging on for dear life' - Derek Gee surprises himself and GC field on Critérium du Dauphiné summit finish
News Canadian holds his own against some of cycling's best climbers, targets top GC finish in final two stages
'No reason to panic' – Remco Evenepoel loses Critérium du Dauphiné lead but remains confident for Tour de France
News Belgian distanced on Le Collet d'Allevard but upbeat about form
Juan Ayuso pulls out of Critérium du Dauphiné as teams assess damage from high speed crash
News Four of UAE Team Emirates' squad due to support Pogačar at the Tour de France involved in high speed crash
'Would this happen in F1?' asks Plugge after Van Baarle, Kruijswijk out of Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de France with fractures from mass crash
News Spectator video of crash on slick descent shows riders sliding as if on ice
'Another dark day for cycling' - Critérium du Dauphiné peloton rues latest mass crash
News Huge pileup late on stage 5 sees 'a good 50 riders fall' and not enough ambulances to continue with the race
'It could have been worse' - Déjà vu for Evenepoel and Roglič in mass crash at Critérium du Dauphiné
News No fractures for Evenepoel but Roglič to undergo further assessment before Friday's stage
'I stayed on the bike so improvement from yesterday' - Primož Roglič in good spirits after strong Dauphiné ITT
News Slovenian takes third in 34.4km race against the clock, moves up to second on GC behind Remco Evenepoel
Stunning Critérium du Dauphiné time trial moves Matteo Jorgenson up to third on GC
News Paris-Nice winner takes fourth in mid-week TT - ‘I rode it more by feel’
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Critérium du Dauphiné 'exactly what I needed for the Tour de France' says Mathieu van der Poel
Dutchman rounds out week with another day in the break, narrowly misses out on points jersey to Tadej Pogačar -
'I shouldn't look at them, but at where I was last year' – Remco Evenepoel focuses on his own progress at Critérium du Dauphiné
After two hard days, the Belgian lies fourth overall and 4:11 down on Tadej Pogačar, heading into Sunday's closing mountain stage -
Happy with third, Florian Lipowitz knew he would ‘explode' if he followed Pogačar on Dauphiné stage 7
His performance does not change the plan to assist team leader Primož Roglič at Tour de France
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‘You have to seize these moments’ - Romain Bardet on his solo stage 7 attack on Criterium du Dauphine
Frenchman will be on a moto for second week of Tour de France -
'They attacked us, we responded' – Tadej Pogačar fends off Visma to extend race lead on Critérium du Dauphiné stage 7
'For me, it's a good motivation for the Tour' says race leader after beating Vingegaard to notch third stage victory of the race -
'I think I did quite a good job' – Jonas Vingegaard upbeat at Critérium du Dauphiné despite another loss to Tadej Pogačar
'Hopefully I can be even better in the Tour than I am now' says Dane after taking second behind Slovenian on stage 7
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'I did not expect this much of a gap' – Tadej Pogačar a level above rival Jonas Vingegaard on first mountain showdown of 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné
World Champion puts 1:01 into Dane on stage 6, with the biggest test still to come on Saturday's brutal Alpine route -
'If he can follow Pogačar and Vingegaard here, we will go for more than third at the Tour' – crunch time for Remco Evenepoel at Critérium du Dauphiné
Soudal-QuickStep DS says final trio of mountain stages will determine Belgian's approach and goals for the Tour de France -
'Nothing bad, just some skin off' – Remco Evenepoel uninjured in Critérium du Dauphiné crash, but loses Tour de France domestique to earlier incident
After already losing Mikel Landa at the Giro, Soudal-QuickStep see Louis Vervaeke crash out with fractured collarbone
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Tour de France tech gallery: Four new bikes, $1,700 hubs, brand new wheels, and a $1,400 saddle
Plus the usual tech hacks and strange setups from the uphill time trial -
New wheels, aero hacks, and an in depth look at that mad prototype Factor: Dauphiné tech gallery 2025
Two new bikes, a load of new wheels, and some aero mods on show as teams tune up for the Tour de France -
Critérium du Dauphiné 2025 start list
Starters for the WorldTour stage race from June 8-15 -
A work in progress - Roglič, Evenepoel and the road from the Dauphiné to the Tour de France
Philippa York assesses a key week in the build-up to July as Jorgenson progresses and Gee breaks through -
First big Tour de France test as Dauphiné hits the mountains - Preview
Can Jumbo-Visma be undone on back-to-back summit finishes?
