The Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 reaches its first major mountain finish on Friday, 12th June, with stage 6 taking the riders from Saint-Vulbas to Crest-Voland. After five days of tactical racing, sprint opportunities, a team time trial and small GC shifts, this is the day when the climbers finally get a stage built around them.
The 182.3km route is the first of three consecutive mountain stages to close the race. It starts in Saint-Vulbas, finishes at Crest-Voland, and includes four categorised climbs, with the final two climbs effectively forming one long late test. Alex Baudin begins the day in yellow, but the gaps behind him are small enough for the GC to change quickly once the road turns properly uphill.
For UK viewers, stage 6 starts at 11:45 BST, with the finish expected around 16:05 BST. Live coverage is available through TNT Sports and HBO Max, with coverage generally listed from around 14:00 BST, which should take viewers into the main climbing phase and the final ascent to Crest-Voland.
For more race context, see our Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 full route guide, Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 team-by-team guide, Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 stage 6 preview and GC and jerseys after Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 stage 5.
What time does Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 stage 6 start?
Stage 6 of the Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 starts at 11:45 BST on Friday, 12th June.
The stage runs from Saint-Vulbas to Crest-Voland over 182.3km, with the finish expected at around 16:05 BST. The route is classified as a mountain stage and should be the first proper GC sorting point of the race.
Key stage 6 timings for UK viewers:
- Date: Friday, 12th June
- Stage: Saint-Vulbas to Crest-Voland
- Distance: 182.3km
- Stage start: 11:45 BST
- Live coverage: around 14:00 BST
- Expected finish: around 16:05 BST
As always, finish times can shift depending on breakaway strength, weather, descending conditions and how early the GC teams decide to push the pace.
How to watch Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 stage 6 in the UK
UK viewers can watch the Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 on TNT Sports and HBO Max. Cycling coverage that previously sat under the Discovery+ banner has moved to HBO Max in the UK, while linear coverage may appear across TNT Sports channels depending on the daily schedule.
For stage 6, live coverage should take viewers into the decisive climbing phase, including the Côte d’Héry-sur-Ugine and the final climb to Crest-Voland. The full stage begins earlier, but the final two hours should contain most of the GC action.
UK viewing details:
- UK TV: TNT Sports
- UK streaming: HBO Max
- Stage start: 11:45 BST
- Live coverage: around 14:00 BST
- Expected finish: around 16:05 BST
For the full race broadcast picture, see our guide on how to watch Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 in the UK.
Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026 stage 6 route
Stage 6 runs from Saint-Vulbas to Crest-Voland, covering 182.3km. It begins with a long approach before the climbing builds in the second half of the stage.
The route includes four categorised climbs:
- Côte de Châtelard
- Col du Granier
- Côte d’Héry-sur-Ugine
- Côte de Crest-Voland
The first two climbs come earlier in the stage and should help shape the breakaway battle. The final pair are more important for the GC. The Côte d’Héry-sur-Ugine is long enough to thin the front group, while the climb to Crest-Voland gives the favourites a clear place to attack.
This is not the hardest mountain stage of the final weekend on paper, with Grand Colombier and Plateau de Solaison still to come, but it is the first summit finish. That makes it tactically important. Some riders will want to test the race immediately, while others may be more cautious with two difficult days still ahead.
Why stage 6 matters
Stage 6 is the first point in the race where the GC riders can create meaningful separation on the climbs. After stage 5, Alex Baudin still leads the overall classification, but Kévin Vauquelin and Oscar Onley are only 12 seconds behind, with Matteo Jorgenson at 15 seconds. Juan Ayuso and Mattias Skjelmose sit 47 seconds down, and several other contenders are still close enough to move into the top positions with one strong ride.
That makes stage 6 a difficult day for EF Education-EasyPost. Baudin has defended the yellow jersey well so far, but this is the first sustained mountain test. The team will need to decide whether to control the breakaway, ride defensively, or allow other GC squads to take responsibility.
Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team are in a strong tactical position with Vauquelin, Onley and Carlos Rodriguez all inside the top 10. Team Visma | Lease a Bike have Matteo Jorgenson and Jørgen Nordhagen well placed, while Lidl-Trek have Juan Ayuso and Mattias Skjelmose close enough to attack. UAE Team Emirates-XRG have Isaac del Toro and Pavel Sivakov as major cards for the mountain stages.
This is where the race stops being about avoiding mistakes and starts being about making a move.
GC situation before stage 6
Alex Baudin begins stage 6 in the yellow jersey after holding the lead through stage 5. His advantage is still small enough for the race to be wide open.
General classification after stage 5:
| Position | Rider | Team | Time gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Baudin | EF Education-EasyPost | 18:07:12 |
| 2 | Kévin Vauquelin | Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team | +0:12 |
| 3 | Oscar Onley | Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team | +0:12 |
| 4 | Matteo Jorgenson | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | +0:15 |
| 5 | Juan Ayuso | Lidl-Trek | +0:47 |
| 6 | Mattias Skjelmose | Lidl-Trek | +0:47 |
| 7 | Jørgen Nordhagen | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | +0:50 |
| 8 | Carlos Rodriguez | Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team | +0:57 |
| 9 | Léo Bisiaux | Decathlon CMA CGM Team | +0:59 |
| 10 | Bruno Armirail | Decathlon CMA CGM Team | +1:00 |
Those gaps are close enough that stage 6 could produce a new leader, especially if the final climb creates a clear selection. Vauquelin, Onley and Jorgenson do not need a huge move to take yellow. Ayuso, Skjelmose, Rodriguez and del Toro may need to be more aggressive if they want to move back into the centre of the race before the weekend.
What to expect from the live coverage
By the time live coverage begins, the early breakaway should already be established. The key question will be whether the break has enough time to contest the stage, or whether the GC teams have kept it close enough for the favourites to fight for the win.
Viewers should watch for three things:
- How much work EF Education-EasyPost are doing to defend yellow
- Whether Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team use their numbers aggressively
- Which of Ayuso, del Toro, Jorgenson, Onley, Vauquelin, Seixas and Rodriguez looks most comfortable on the final climbs
The Côte d’Héry-sur-Ugine should be the first major indicator. If the pace is high there, the yellow jersey group could be reduced before the final climb. If teams wait, the Côte de Crest-Voland becomes the obvious launch point.
The final climb is steep enough for differences, but not so long that riders can afford to hesitate forever. A late attack, a sustained acceleration from a GC favourite, or a small group sprint between climbers are all possible.
Stage 6 favourites
Isaac del Toro is one of the most interesting riders for stage 6. He has not yet taken control of the race, but the climbing weekend gives him a much better platform. If UAE Team Emirates-XRG decide to race aggressively, this is a stage that could suit him.
Juan Ayuso is also in a position where he may need to attack. Lidl-Trek have Ayuso and Skjelmose close together on GC, which gives them tactical flexibility. Ayuso has the explosiveness to make a difference on a finish like Crest-Voland if he reaches the final climb in good shape.
Matteo Jorgenson is only 15 seconds off yellow and may not need to take huge risks. Team Visma | Lease a Bike can ride through Jorgenson and Nordhagen, with the option of testing Baudin before the final climb if the race becomes hard.
Oscar Onley and Kévin Vauquelin give Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team a strong dual threat. Both are just 12 seconds behind Baudin, and the team also have Carlos Rodriguez within striking distance. They may be the squad with the most tactical leverage.
Paul Seixas should also be watched. The Decathlon CMA CGM Team rider remains one of the home favourites and could be dangerous if the final climb turns into a pure climbing test. Ben Healy, Pello Bilbao, Mattias Skjelmose, Tobias Halland Johannessen and Cian Uijtdebroeks are also riders who can be visible once the race turns uphill.
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Photo Credit: Cor Vos
Can the breakaway win?
A breakaway has a chance, but the GC situation makes it difficult. This is the first mountain finish, the gaps are small, and several teams have reasons to chase. Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team may see a chance to take yellow. Team Visma | Lease a Bike can put Jorgenson into the race lead. Lidl-Trek and UAE Team Emirates-XRG need to gain time with Ayuso and del Toro.
That does not mean the break is doomed. The first half of the stage gives attackers time to build a gap, and the final weekend may make some GC teams cautious. If the right group goes, with no direct overall threat, it could survive deep into the stage.
The more likely outcome is that the breakaway shapes the day, but the GC riders decide the final climb. A stage win from the favourites’ group feels more likely than a breakaway victory, especially if the top teams sense that Baudin is under pressure.
Stage 6 prediction
Stage 6 should be the first true GC test of the Tour Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes 2026. The final two climbs give the favourites enough terrain to make a difference, but the stage also comes before Grand Colombier and Plateau de Solaison, so not every rider will want to empty themselves completely.
Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team have the numbers to unsettle the race, while Team Visma | Lease a Bike are close enough to yellow through Matteo Jorgenson. Lidl-Trek and UAE Team Emirates-XRG need to be more aggressive, which should make Ayuso and del Toro central to the final hour.
Prediction: Isaac del Toro to win the stage from a reduced GC group, with the yellow jersey under serious pressure on the climb to Crest-Voland.
