The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026, the race you'll probably still instinctively call the Critérium du Dauphiné, runs from June 7 to 14 across the French Alps. The name is new for this year (we explained why ASO and a clutch of other races ditched their old titles), but the job it does hasn't changed: this is the last serious dress rehearsal before the Tour de France. Here's how to watch every stage live, including official TV channels, legitimate free streams, and how to keep your home subscription with you through a VPN while travelling.
Race Favourites
The official start list still isn't confirmed, but the race already has a clear headline act. As we argue in our full race preview, 19-year-old Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) starts as the clear favourite, treating this as the final meaningful tune-up before his Tour de France debut. He won't have it to himself, though.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG bring the most dangerous hand, led by Isaac del Toro – winner of both the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico this season – with João Almeida as a second GC card. Lidl-Trek counter with Ayuso, the one rider to have already beaten Seixas over a stage race in 2026, alongside Mattias Skjelmose. Watch, too, for Oscar Onley heading a three-pronged Netcompany-Ineos, and for the comebacks of Matteo Jorgenson and Wout van Aert.
For the rider-by-rider breakdown and our full GC prediction, head to the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes preview.
How to Watch the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Broadcasting rights vary by territory. The table below lists the official channels and platforms confirmed for the 2026 edition, along with pricing where available.
Where to Watch the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026
| Region | Broadcaster | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | TNT Sports / HBO Max | From £27.99/mo | No free UK broadcast expected |
United States | NBC Sports / Peacock | $7.99/mo | Peacock is the exclusive U.S. streaming home for A.S.O. races |
Canada | FloBikes | $29.99/mo | Annual plan also available |
Australia | SBS / SBS On Demand | Free | Live and free on SBS and SBS On Demand |
France | France Télévisions / france.tv | Free | Also available on Eurosport and HBO Max (paid) |
Belgium | RTBF / VRT | Free | Public broadcasters in French and Dutch |
Netherlands | NOS | Free | — |
Italy | Rai Sport | Free | — |
Spain | RTVE | Free | — |
Legal Free Streams
Velora tip: Several countries offer free-to-air official coverage of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Confirmed free options include:
- France – France Télévisions / france.tv
- Australia – SBS / SBS On Demand (live and on-demand, entirely free)
- Belgium – RTBF (French) and VRT (Dutch)
- Netherlands – NOS
- Italy – Rai Sport
- Spain – RTVE
SBS On Demand in Australia offers free streaming without a subscription. France Télévisions carries the race as part of its public broadcast sports schedule.
If you're travelling, connect via VPN to your home country to access your usual official feeds, just as if you were at home.
Using a VPN Legally While Travelling
Broadcasters often limit streams to home viewers based on location. If you're travelling abroad, a VPN lets you securely connect to your home network so you can keep watching your existing paid or free account from anywhere.
Velora Choice: NordVPN
Use a secure VPN connection to watch cycling on your existing subscription services or free streams while you’re away from home. Always follow local laws and your provider’s terms of use.
Our editorial team uses NordVPN by choice, we all purchased it independently to watch cycling races wherever we are.
- 8,400+ VPN servers covering 167+ locations
- One of the fastest VPNs on the market
- Protection from surveillance & cyberthreats
- Use NordVPN on up to 10 devices
How to do it:
- Download NordVPN, our recommended VPN for streaming while travelling.
- Connect to your home country (e.g., UK for TNT Sports, France for france.tv, or Australia for SBS On Demand).
- Open your usual broadcaster's site or app and start watching.
Velora never endorses bypassing broadcast rights. A VPN should only be used to access official services, whether paid or free-to-air, while abroad.
Always use legitimate platforms. Unofficial streams often breach copyright and expose viewers to malware or fake ads.
When to Watch: Stage by Stage
Eight stages, a team time trial and two summit finishes, all squeezed into a single week — so if you can't sit through every kilometre, this is where to spend your screen time. The hilly opener around Grenoble and the 234km haul to Le Puy-en-Velay reward a late tune-in, while the stage 3 team time trial in Roanne is where GC gaps quietly start to open.
Stages 4 and 5 are the sprinters' window before the road tilts skyward. Then the race detonates over the final weekend: Saturday's queen stage climbs the Grand Colombier twice and finishes on its savage 10.2% ramp, and Sunday closes atop the Plateau de Solaison after four big climbs and nearly 3,900m of climbing in just 120km. The guide below gives each stage's tune-in window, key climb and finish time, all times local (CEST), so you know exactly when to switch on.
Why the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Matters
Eight stages, 1,208km, and the Alps doing what the Alps do. Whatever it's called, this race has one job: it is the WorldTour calendar's final major stage race before the Tour de France, and riders treat it as a proving ground for climbing legs and time-trial form on roads that often preview July's terrain.
It's also a race where we often see new tech showcased ahead of the Tour de France, and we'll be expecting to potential first glimpse of the Tarmac SL9 and a new Van Rysel at the race.
Quick Recap
- UK: TNT Sports / HBO Max (from £27.99/mo)
- US: Peacock ($7.99/mo)
- Canada: FloBikes ($29.99/mo)
- Australia: SBS On Demand (free)
- France: france.tv (free); Eurosport / HBO Max (paid)
- Free-to-air also listed in: Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain
- Travelling abroad? Use a VPN to keep access to your home subscription safely
- Stage 1 timing: Stage start at 11:15 (km0), est. finish around 14:49 (all times local, Europe/Paris)
- Avoid illegal or pirate streams, they're unsafe and breach copyright
Velora Choice: NordVPN
Use a secure VPN connection to watch cycling on your existing subscription services or free streams while you’re away from home. Always follow local laws and your provider’s terms of use.
Get NordVPN - Special OfferVelora only promotes VPN use to maintain access to legitimate, paid, or free-to-air services while abroad.
Cover image credit: A.Broadway/ASO
