Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026: Baudin lands double from the breakaway

fotobureau Cor VosAlex Baudin launches an attack from the break on the final climb of the day. The peloton is almost on terms with him at that point, but the Frenchman rides away once more and goes on to take the first yellow jersey of the Tour of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 1 Results – 2026 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

1. Alex Baudin (fra) 3:43:58
2. Ramses Debruyne (bel) + 0:32
3. Léo Bisiaux (fra) s.t.
4. Kevin Vermaerke (usa) s.t.
5. Rudy Molard (fra) s.t.
6. Ben Tulett (gbr) s.t.
7. Luke Plapp (aus) s.t.
8. Luke Tuckwell (aus) s.t.
9. Kévin Vauquelin (fra) s.t.
10. Oscar Onley (gbr) s.t.

30. Carlos Rodriguez (spa) + 1:04
36. Daniel Félipe Martínez (col) + 2:53
44. Ben Healy (irl) + 2:56
46. Tobias Halland Johannessen (nor) + 3:20

GC after stage 1

1. Alex Baudin (fra)
2. Ramses Debruyne (bel) + 0:32
3. Léo Bisiaux (fra) s.t.
4. Kevin Vermaerke (usa) s.t.
5. Rudy Molard (fra) s.t.
6. Ben Tulett (gbr) s.t.
7. Luke Plapp (aus) s.t.
8. Luke Tuckwell (aus) s.t.
9. Kévin Vauquelin (fra) s.t.
10. Oscar Onley (gbr) s.t.

Race report
The opening phase is frenetic, with attacks flying from all directions before a ten-rider breakaway eventually forms. Up the road are Alex Baudin, Alastair Mackellar, Pepijn Reinderink, Raúl García Pierna, Georg Zimmermann, Matteo Vercher, Alex Díaz, Nadav Raisberg, Sergio Samitier and Clément Braz Afonso. They tackle the Col de l'Arzelier 50 seconds ahead of the peloton.

The pace on the climb is too much for Reinderink and Raisberg, while George Bennett takes their place at the front and bridges across. At the summit, Samitier takes the maximum haul of 5 KOM points ahead of Zimmermann. On the Côte de Seyssins, the order is reversed, but on the Côte de Quaix-en-Chartreuse it is once again Samitier who crests the climb first.

While cresting the Col de Vence, only Baudin, Bennett and Braz Afonso remain out in front. The latter is first to reach the summit.

Where the breakaway’s advantage had barely risen above 2 minutes during the day, the peloton closes to 34 seconds on the Côte de Rousset. That prompts Alex Baudin to press on alone. Once over the top, his lead has grown to 1 minute and 20 seconds. With the large number of points available at the summit, he also takes over the mountains classification in one go.

The peloton seems to agree with the stage winner and does not really push, although a small group does get away, featuring Oscar Onley and Kévin Vauquelin, but by that point victory for Alex Baudin is effectively secured. Onley and Vauquelin finish 12 seconds ahead of the other GC contenders, while Carlos Rodríguez, and especially Daniel Felipe Martínez, Ben Healy and Tobias Halland Johannessen, lose more time.

João Almeida crosses the line more than 24 minutes after the stage winner, underlining his earlier statement that he is not in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes to fight for a strong overall result.

Another interesting read: route 1st stage 2026 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.