In 2026, the Critérium du Dauphiné gets a new name, the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, but it remains the familiar build-up race for the Tour de France in June.
Running from June 7 to 14, the WorldTour stage race includes a team time trial that will help riders prepare for the opening TTT of the Tour de France a few weeks later.
The 78th edition of the race still features some of the region's iconic mountains while adding new obstacles to challenge the sport's top riders.
Latest Videos From
After the team time trial, the GC contenders will come out to play in the final three stages, which end on the category 1 Crest-Voland, and hors-categorie Grand Colombier and Plateau de Salaison, respectively.
The Grand Colombier was the site of Tadej Pogačar's second Tour de France stage win in 2020, where he out-sprinted Primož Roglič for the honours. More recently, it was in the 2023 Tour de France with Michał Kwiatkowski winning the stage and Pogačar gaining a handful of seconds on rival Jonas Vingegaard.
The final climb of the 2026 race, the Plateau de Salaison, has been infrequently used but was last used when Vingegaard won stage 8 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, helping then-teammate Roglič to the overall victory.
The 2026 edition also has a couple of stages for the sprinters and breakaway artists, but the first yellow jersey might not go to one of the fast men, as there is a category 1 climb just 18km from the finish.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Stage 1: Vizille - Saint-Ismier, 146.5 km
Profile of stage 1 (Image credit: ASO)
It's a tough opening stage for the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, with riders heading up and uncategorised climb just 6km into the stage from Ilsère to Saint-Ismier.
The first classified climb, the category 2 Col de l'Arzelier comes less than 40km into the stage, and there are four more scattered throughout the 140.1-kilometre route.
A rather testing Côte de Saint-Jean-le-Vieux with 20km to go and an uphill sprint finish adds to the difficulty of this opening stage.
Intermediate Sprint - Monestier de Clermont, km 22.3
Col de l'Arzelier (cat. 2 - 8,6 km at 5,7 %), km. 39.8
Côte de Seyssins (cat. 3 - 2.6 km at 6 %), km. 72.8
Côte de Quaix en Chartreuse (cat. 2 - 2,3 km at 9,2 %), km. 94.4
Col de Vence (cat. 2 - 5,1 km at 6 %), km. 102.2
Côte de Saint-Jean-le-Vieux (cat. 1 - 5,6 km at 8,7 %), km. 125.3
Stage 2: Saint-Martin-Le-Vinoux - Le Puy-en-Velay, 234.5
Profile of stage 2 (Image credit: ASO)
The sprinters might get a chance on the second stage from Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux to Le Puy-Velay, a marathon journey of 234.3 kilometres over five categorised climbs.
It might not be the toughest day in terms of mountains - the 10.9-kilometre Col Robert Marchand averages only 4.4% - but some shorter but steeper climbs in the final 30km might eliminate some sprinters.
There's a quick descent to the finish line, making this stage finale all about timing.
Col de Chatain (cat. 2 - 7.9km at 5.7%), km. 13.2
Col de la Croix de Toutes Aures (cat. 3 - 2.8km at 6.1%), km. 35.3
Col Robert Marchand (cat. 2 - 10.9 km at 4.4 %), km. 125.7
Intermediate sprint - Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, km. 142.5
Côte des Baraques (cat. 2 - 4.2 km at 6.6 %), km. 203.3
Côte de Saint-Vidal (cat. 3 - 2 km at 7.4 %), km. 222.5
Stage 3: Perreux - Perreux (TTT), 28.4 km
Profile of stage 3 (Image credit: ASO)
The teams will be out with all of their fanciest aerodynamic gear and kit to put them to the test on this team time trial in Perreux.
At 28.4 kilometres, it's almost 10km longer than the Tour de France opening stage in Barcelona, and it has a fair bit more climbing, but provides one of the few in-race TTT opportunities of the season.
With only Paris-Nice and the Trofeo Ses Salines holding TTTs this year, this stage will be a critical final test for the Tour.
Time check 1, km. 8.0
Time check 2, km. 15.8
Stage 4: Le Puy-en-Velay - Montrond-Les-Bains, 167.4km
Profile of stage 4 (Image credit: ASO)
With the GC suitably shaken up by the team time trial, the next stage looks like a perfect chance for the breakaway. The climbs start from the gun, with the Col de la Croix de l'Arbre crested after 14.6km of racing.
There are five climbs packed into the middle 40km of the 165.8km stage, the toughest of which is the Col des Pradeaux (7.2km at 5.7).
The roads level out with 30km to go, making for either a frantic chase by the sprinters' teams or a détente behind the winning breakaway.
Col de la Croix de l'Arbre (cat. 4 - 4 km at 4.1 %), km. 14.6
Intermediate sprint - Arlanc, km. 52.6
Côte du Temple (cat. 3 - 5.7 km at 4.5 %), km. 67.3
Col des Pradeaux (cat. 2 - 7.2 km at 5.7 %), km. 77.9
Col des Limites (cat. 3 - 3.7 km at 5.5 %), km. 92.4
Côte de Lérigneux (cat. 4 - 1.7 km at 4.4 %), km. 104.7
Côte de la Roche-en-Forez (cat. 4 - 2.1 km at 4.5 %), km. 109.6
Stage 5: Saint-Chamond - Villars-Les-Dombes, 195.8 km
Profile of stage 5 (Image credit: ASO)
If any stage is for the sprinters, it's stage 5 in this edition of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. There is hardly any climbing of note except for a pair of climbs at the start.
The GC riders will be happy to keep their legs fresh with three rough stages to come.
Côte de la Croix Blanche (3 km at 5 %), km. 3
Col de la Gachet (1.6 km at 4.4 %), km.7.5
Intermediate sprint - Blacé, km. 108.7
Stage 6: Saint-Vulbas - Crest-Voland, 182.3 km
Profile of stage 6 (Image credit: ASO)
The first summit finish of the Tour Auvergne is actually two back-to-back ascents with only a small descent in between. The Côte d'Héry-sur-Ugine brings riders 11.3km up to 1,004 metres in altitude before a 200m dip and another 5.9km to the finish line on the Côte de Crest-Voland.
The first climb averages 5.1%, but the second is significantly steeper at 7.7%, which will hurt after 181.4km of racing.
Intermediate sprint - Les Échelles, km. 76
Côte de Châtelard (cat. 3 - 4.3 km at 5.7 %), km. 83.5
Col du Granier (cat. 2 - 8 km at 5.7 %), km. 98.3
Côte d'Héry-sur-Ugine (cat. 1 - 11.3 km at 5.1 %), km. 173.2
Côte de Crest-Voland (cat. 1 - 5.9 km at 7.7 %), km. 182.3
Stage 7: La Bridoire - Grand Colombier, 133.6 km
Profile of stage 7 (Image credit: ASO)
The final two stages of the race are short but intense, with the penultimate day heading from La Bridoire to the top of Grand Colombier, a beast of a climb that is 8.4km long and averages 10.2% with sections that are much steeper.
It's preceded by three early climbs that are much shorter in length, and a visit to the southern slopes of the Colombier, with the race heading over the Lacets du Grand Colombier before heading north through Chanay and then back for the final climb.
In between, the Col de Richemond is no joke either - it's 7.7km long and averages 6% - but the long, gradual descent before the final climb can be a place for contenders to claw back any time they may have lost there.
Col du Banchet (cat. 2 - 5.3 km at 5.7 %), km. 5.1
Col de la Crusille (cat. 4 - 2.9 km at 4 %), km. 13.8
Côte de Saint-Maurice-de-Rotherens (cat. 2 - 4.9 km at 7.1 %), km. 24.2
Lacets du Grand Colombier (cat. 1 - 7 km at 8.4 %), km. 76.2
Intermediate sprint - Chanay, km. 95.6
Col de Richemond (cat. 2 - 7.7 km at 6 %), km. 111.2
Grand Colombier (HC - 8.4km at 10.2 %), km. 133.6
Stage 8: Beaufort - Plateau de Solaison, 120 km
Profile of stage 8 (Image credit: ASO)
The final stage from Beaufort to the Plateau de Solaison is just 120 kilometres long, and while that might sound like a walk in the park, there are four significant mountains along the route.
The first, the Col du Pré, is a brutal way to start the stage. The 6.9km ascent averages a whopping 10.1% with steeper pitches along the way. The next tooth of the stage's saw blade is the Montée de Bisanne - 11.4km at 7.7%.
The Col des Aravis, after 73km of racing, is followed by a descent that's over 30km long. It will be a major challenge for riders to keep their legs warm and ready for the final push to the finish on the 9.1% slopes of the 11.3km ascent.
Col du Pré (cat. 1 - 6.9 km at 10.1 %), km. 10.4
Montée de Bisanne (HC - 11.4 km at 7.7 %), km. 43.1
Intermediate sprint - Les Glières, km. 57.5
Col des Aravis (cat. 1 - 7 km at 6.8 %), km. 73.4
Plateau de Solaison - Brison (HC - 11.3 km at 9.1), km. 120.1
Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
