Alex Baudin took the opening stage of the 2026 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, attacking from the breakaway in the final 25 kilometres on the Côte de Rousset to take the leader’s jersey.
The EF Education First-EasyPost rider had been part of a strong early move of nine and claimed the stage by 32 seconds ahead of Alpecin-Premier Tech‘s Ramses Debruyne and Léo Bisiaux of Decathlon-CMA CGM.
Debruyne and Bisiaux were part of a group of ten that had attacked the peloton in the closing stages alongside the likes of Oscar Onley and Kévin Vauquelin (both Netcompany-Ineos), gaining just shy of ten seconds over the race’s main favourites in Saint-Ismier.
In the peloton behind, led for much of the day by Decathlon-CMA CGM in support of Paul Seixas, appeared happy to allow the Frenchman to take the win. The group set a controlled pace on the Côte de Rousset, with teams wanting to relieve themselves of the responsibility to pull the peloton along in the coming stages.
Frenchman Baudin took his second career win, topping off a successful first half of the year that also included top-10s at Paris-Nice and Itzulia.
“I don’t think I believe it, I only thought at 500 metres that it was done,” Baudin said afterwards, adding that he had a bout of food poisoning the day before the race began.
“It’s just amazing to win here with my family here, just one hour from from home. It’s just crazy.”
“All the stars aligned for me today,” Baudin said.
The 25-year-old holds a 32 second lead in the general classification heading into Monday’s second stage, a mammoth 234km race to Le Puy-en-Velay.
Decathlon-CMA CGM led the peloton for much of the day in support of Paul Seixas
(Image credit: Getty Images)
How it Happened
The opening stage of the traditional Tour de France warm up was not easy, with no fewer than five categorised climbs for the peloton to tackle. While not the toughest stage of the race, the 146km course would provide a stern test.
A nine rider break made it away after a long race to get in the early move. Principle among them were the likes of New Zealand national champion George Bennett (NSN) and Alex Baudin (EF Education First-EasyPost).
The attackers built a lead of just over two minutes with 70km to go, as Decathlon-CMA CGM set the pace in support of Seixas.
Baudin stretched out alone on the final climb, the Côte de Rousset, as the general classification teams set the pace in the peloton. Baudin had an advantage of just over a minute as he crested the ascent with 21km to go.
Baudin’s lead held strong on the descent that followed. On the final, dragging section into Saint-Ismier, he still had 1:10 heading into the last 5km.
With an easy pace sustaining in the bunch, a group of ten attacked from the peloton including Luke Plapp (Jayco-AlUla), Oscar Onley and Kevin Vauquelin (both Netcompany-Ineos), putting 30 seconds into the peloton.
Concerned by this intermediary group, Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) and Seixas attacked in the peloton in an effort to close the gap, reducing the deficit to just nine seconds by the finish.
Baudin powered all the way to the final metres, before taking the applause of the crowd just a few dozen kilometres from his home in the Alps. He said afterwards that he would attempt to hold onto the yellow jersey for as long as possible.
Results
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes stage one: Vizille > Saint-Ismier (146.2km)
1. Alex Baudin (Fra) EF Education-EasyPost in 3:43:58
2. Ramses Debruyne (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech, +32s
3. Léo Bisiaux (Fra) Decathlon-CMA CGM
4. Kevin Vermaerke (USA) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
5. Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United
6. Ben Tullett (GBr) Visma-Lease a Bike
7. Luke Plapp (Aus) Jayco-AlUla
8. Luke Tuckwell (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
9. Kévin Vauquelin (Fra) Netcompany-Ineos
10. Oscar Onley (GBr) Netcompany-Ineos (all same time)
General Classification after stage one
1. Alex Baudin (Fra) EF Education-EasyPost in 3:43:58
2. Ramses Debruyne (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech, +32s
3. Léo Bisiaux (Fra) Decathlon-CMA CGM
4. Kevin Vermaerke (USA) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
5. Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United
6. Ben Tullett (GBr) Visma-Lease a Bike
7. Luke Plapp (Aus) Jayco-AlUla
8. Luke Tuckwell (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
9. Kévin Vauquelin (Fra) Netcompany-Ineos
10. Oscar Onley (GBr) Netcompany-Ineos (all same time)
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