The Alpes Grésivaudan Classic takes place on Sunday, 7th June 2026, with the women’s 1.1 race offering one of the more mountainous one-day tests on the French calendar. The race starts in Bernin and finishes at Prapoutel les Sept Laux, with a 109.9km route and around 3,590 metres of elevation gain.
Live coverage will be available on YouTube, giving fans a straightforward way to follow the race as it unfolds. That is particularly useful for a race like this, where the final climb and the altitude finish should make the closing hour decisive.
Where can I watch the Alpes Grésivaudan Classic 2026?
The Alpes Grésivaudan Classic 2026 will be available to watch live on YouTube.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxE8myaCBes
The race is scheduled for Sunday, 7th June. The départ fictif is at 11:00 local time, with the départ réel at 11:11 local time. For UK viewers, that means the race rolls out at 10:00 BST, with racing proper from 10:11 BST.
The finish is expected between around 14:43 and 15:15 local time, which is 13:43 to 14:15 BST.
What kind of race is the Alpes Grésivaudan Classic?
The Alpes Grésivaudan Classic is a proper climbing race. At 109.9km, it is not especially long, but the elevation gain changes the whole character of the day. Nearly 3,600 metres of climbing packed into that distance means the race should be selective well before the finish.
The Prapoutel les Sept Laux finish gives the race its clearest identity. This is not a course built for sprinters trying to survive a rolling finale. It is a day for climbers, lightweight all-rounders and riders who can keep producing power deep into a mountainous one-day race.
That also makes it an important opportunity for riders and teams who do not always get this kind of terrain in a standalone one-day format. Many women’s 1.1 races lean towards punchy or rolling courses, while the Alpes Grésivaudan Classic gives the climbers a much more direct platform.
Who are the favourites?
The favourites should come from the riders most comfortable on sustained climbing terrain. Francesca Hall, Sidney Swierenga, Nikola Nosková and Karolina Perekitko all start as key names for the win.
Hall and Perekitko give Mayenne Monbana My Pie two strong cards for a route that should reward climbing depth and patience. Hall has the experience for a hard mountain day, while Perekitko is another rider who should be suited to a race where the selection is made by repeated climbing rather than a sprint finish.
Swierenga is a major contender for Liv AlUla Jayco. On a route with this much elevation, the race should reward riders who can keep climbing strongly after earlier efforts have already thinned the field, and Swierenga’s profile makes her one of the most interesting names on the start list.
Nosková gives Cofidis a clear leader for the day. She brings experience, climbing strength and enough tactical awareness to be dangerous if the race comes down to a reduced group before the final climb. If the strongest riders reach the closing ascent together, she should be one of the names to watch.
When should you tune in?
The full race is available from the morning, but the most important action should come later. With a mountain finish and so much climbing packed into the route, the decisive phase is likely to come in the final hour, once the strongest climbers begin to separate from the rest.
For UK viewers, tuning in from around 13:00 BST should catch the key finale, although the race may already be split by then if the earlier climbs are ridden hard.
Alpes Grésivaudan Classic 2026 live viewing summary
The Alpes Grésivaudan Classic 2026 takes place on Sunday, 7th June, with a 109.9km route from Bernin to Prapoutel les Sept Laux. The départ fictif is at 10:00 BST, with the départ réel at 10:11 BST, and the finish is expected between around 13:43 and 14:15 BST.
Live coverage will be available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxE8myaCBes
With nearly 3,600 metres of climbing and a mountain finish, this should be one of the most selective women’s one-day races of the weekend. Francesca Hall, Sidney Swierenga, Nikola Nosková and Karolina Perekitko start among the key favourites.
