Critérium du Dauphiné 2025: Key Details
Dates | 7-14 June 2026 |
Total distance | 1,208km |
Stages | 8 |
Start | Vizille |
Finish | Plateau de Solaison |
UCI ranking | WorldTour |
Edition | 78th |
Total climbing | 22,327m |
2025 winner | Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) |
Leader's jersey colour | Yellow |
TV coverage (UK) | TNT Sport/HBO Max |
TV coverage (US) | Peacock |
The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 is the 78th edition of the race formerly known as the Critérium du Dauphiné, and is being held between 7-14 June. Its mountainous terrain and spot in the calendar, just three weeks before the start of the Tour de France, makes it a favourite warm-up race for the major GC contenders.
The race was created in 1947 by the newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré, and was known as the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré until 2010, when it came under the control of Tour de France organisers ASO.
Despite its status as one of the key warmup races for the Tour, relatively few riders have won both races in the same year. Chris Froome won both three times, in 2013, 2015, 2016, while Bernard Hinault did the double in 1979 and 1981. Most recently, Jonas Vingegaard won both races in 2023, and Tadej Pogačar did the same last year.
Taking place in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alps region in the southeast of France, the eight-day stage race favours climbers, and tends to feature a number of Tour de France climbs. This year the Grand Colombier on stage seven is among the most infamous, but there are vicious climbs throughout.
The big names taking part this year are Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), French sensation Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Oscar Onley (Netcompany-Ineos).
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026: The route
Critérium du Dauphiné 2025 route. Image credit: ASO.
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026: Stage-by-stage
Stage | Day | Start | Finish | Distance | Terrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sun 7 June | Vizille | Saint-Ismier | 146.2km | Mountains |
2 | Mon 8 June | Saint-Martin-Le-Vinoux | Le Puy-en-Velay | 234.3km | Hilly |
3 | Tue 9 June | Perreux | Perreux | 28.4km | TTT |
4 | Wed 10 June | Le Puy-en-Velay | Montrond-Les-Bains | 167.4km | Hilly |
5 | Thu 11 June | Saint-Chamond | Villars-Les-Dombes | 195.8km | Glat |
6 | Fri 12 June | Saint-Vulbas | Crest-Voland | 182.3km | Mountains |
7 | Sat 13 June | La Bridoire | Grand Colombier | 133.6km | Mountains |
8 | Sun 14 June | Beaufort | Plateau de Solaison | 120.1km | Mountains |
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: The jerseys
Like at other ASO-run races including the Tour de France, the leader of the race - the rider with the lowest overall time - wears a yellow jersey, the best young rider (aged 25 or under) wears a white jersey, and the points leader (collecting points from sprints) wears a green jersey. The King of the Mountains (rider with the most points over classified climbs) wears a dark blue jersey with white polka-dots, a similar design to that at the Tour de France but with different colours.
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: Past winners
2025: Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRg
2024: Primož Roglič (Slo) Bora-Hansgrohe
2023: Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma
2022: Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma
2021: Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers
2020: Daniel Martínez (Col) EF Pro Cycling
2019: Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana
2018: Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky
2017: Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana
2016: Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky
2015: Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky
2014: Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp
2013: Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky
2012: Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky
2011: Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky
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