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Ride the Dombes: Cycling the Ain Plateau Where Stage 5 Finishes
The Dombes plateau north of Lyon — where the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Stage 5 finishes — is flat, lake-dotted cycling country connecting Alpine climbing to the Loire foothills. Our guide covers the route, how to get there, where to stay, and why this overlooked corner of France is worth the detour.
By ZealZag TeamTour Auvergne 2026 Stage 5: The Sprint Day Van Aert Has Been Waiting For
Stage 5 of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes delivers the race's only true sprint finish — 195.8km from Saint-Chamond to the Parc des Oiseaux at Villars-les-Dombes, with all 2,200m of climbing front-loaded and a clean, flat run-in from the last bend 3km out.
By ZealZag TeamCycling the Forez: Pierre-sur-Haute, Montrond, and the Volcanic Plateau's Quietest Edge
Between the Auvergne volcanoes and the Loire plain sits the Forez massif — a forgotten cycling region whose highest point reaches 1,634 metres, whose secondary roads carry almost no traffic, and whose Stage 4 finish town Montrond-les-Bains offers thermal recovery infrastructure that no alpine base can match.
By ZealZag TeamCycling the Loire Roannais: The TTT Circuit and the Roads Beyond Perreux
The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Stage 3 TTT runs a 28.4km circuit through the Loire Roannais — a stretch of rolling farmland and forested foothills between Roanne and Charlieu that rarely appears on any race route. A practical cycling guide to the area, from the TTT circuit itself to the Pilat Massif climbs one valley east.
By ZealZag TeamYellow on the Clock: Alex Baudin's EF Squad Faces the TTT at Perreux
Stage 3 of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is a 28.4-kilometre team time trial circuit in the Loire Roannais — the first direct GC test of the race, a Tour de France dress rehearsal, and the day EF Education-EasyPost must defend Alex Baudin's thirty-two-second yellow jersey against Visma, UAE, INEOS, and Decathlon.
By ZealZag Team