The favourites emerge
This stage joins two towns also linked in the 2008 Tour. The route between them is slightly different, though, with the cat 2 Col de Croix Saint-Robert providing a stiff test prior to the final climb up to the ski resort of Super-Besse. Three years ago, Riccardo Riccò led the field home while Stefan Schumacher lost the yellow jersey after crashing in the final charge to the hill-top finish. Neither, of course, will race this year, but the yellow jersey could still change hands. The final ramps are steep enough to split the field and to ensure all the yellow jersey favourites will be working hard.
Details -
Distance: 189 km
Highest point: 1,451m
Category: Medium mountains
Sean Yates says...
'In the Massif Central, it’s often so hot the tarmac starts to melt. The stages are hectic until the break goes but the main group will never coast and let a group get 20 minutes. I doubt that the finish is hard enough to cause big splits in the GC guys."
Stage map
Stage profile
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Sofía Gómez Villafañe and Mads Wurtz Schmidt start the season on top step with overall victory at a muddy edition of Santa Vall
Villafañe takes both stages as well as GC of the Gravel Earth Series event, Tim Wollenberg snares stage 2 of men's race but Wurtz Schmidt remains on top overall -
‘We wanted to race hard, and that’s what we did today' - Setmana Valenciana runner-up Maëva Squiban on her final climb attack
Double Tour de France Femmes stage winner attacked on final climb but could not outsprint Demi Vollering -
UCI Gravel World Series: Hayley Preen attacks on Uitkyk Pass to claim win at The Ceder while Filippo Colombo scores maiden gravel victory
Lisa Bone and Felix Stehli take runner-up spots in first UCI Gravel World Series event of 2026 -
‘It was him or me’ - Arnaud De Lie bumps shoulders with Lewis Askey in final sprint at Clásica de Almería
Belgian finished sixth as Askey leads out teammate Biniam Girmay to victory
