The Tour de l’Ain once again lived up to its reputation as a breeding ground for future champions. Markel Beloki successfully defended the advantage he had built the previous day to add his name to a prestigious list of winners alongside Thibaut Pinot, Romain Bardet, Michael Storer, Cian Uijtdebroeks and many others. Meanwhile, France’s Axel Mariault claimed victory in the queen stage and celebrated the first professional win of his career.
“The Tour de l’Ain is always a fiercely contested race. Among the French riders it has revealed are Thibaut Pinot, Romain Bardet and Julian Alaphilippe,” said race director Philippe Colliou before the start. “Our department allows us to design flat stages, medium-mountain stages and stages featuring major climbs.” Speaking about the field assembled for the 38th edition, he added: “For several years now, teams have been bringing their young riders here. This year, development squads from some of the world’s best teams are racing alongside every French team, as well as the regional teams Bourg-en-Bresse Ain Cyclisme and Vélo Club Villefranche Beaujolais. Together, they will produce an exciting three-day race.”
That promise was fulfilled. EF Education-EasyPost dominated the first two stages in 2026 through Noah Hobbs (22, who celebrated his birthday on 23 July), winner of the opening sprint stage, and Markel Beloki Fernandez (21, who turned 21 on 27 July), victorious in a solo attack on stage two, while also collecting most of the distinctive jerseys. Only the King of the Mountains jersey escaped their grasp each day. Throughout the race, constant attacks from both young talents and experienced riders—many looking to secure contracts for next season—kept the racing lively. French riders also impressed, placing five riders in the top ten on stage one and three riders in the top five on both stages two and three.
The third and decisive stage, a short but demanding 131.5 km route from Oyonnax to Lélex Monts-Jura featuring seven classified climbs and 2,879 metres of elevation gain, delivered another spectacular contest. Patryk Goszczurny (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development), Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ United), Eivind Broholt Fougner (Unibet Rose Rockets), Alexys Brunel (TotalEnergies), Simon Baran (Vélo Club Villefranche Beaujolais), Thor Michielsen (Lidl-Trek Future Racing) and Gil Gelders (Soudal Quick-Step) formed the day’s early breakaway, crossing the summit of the Col de Berthiand (4.8 km at 6%) in that order. Their advantage reached three minutes after 30 kilometres.
Fougner first took command of the mountains classification by cresting the Côte de Corveissiat in first place, before Goszczurny reclaimed the lead over the summits of Matafelon, Samognat and Viry. Fougner then attacked again, with only Gil Gelders able to follow initially, before Goszczurny bridged across. Fougner led over the Côte de Giron, but the breakaway was eventually absorbed by the favourites for the overall classification.
The decisive selection came on the Col de Menthières (9.1 km at 7%), where Beloki, Jefferson Alexander Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost), Jamie Meehan (Cofidis), Axel Mariault (CIC Pro Cycling Academy), Huw Buck Jones (Bourg-en-Bresse Ain Cyclisme) and Henrique Ribeiro Bravo (Soudal Quick-Step) emerged at the front. Wearing the Solimut Mutuelle de France yellow jersey with a 52-second advantage over Mariault, Beloki carefully controlled the race to protect his overall lead.
Adam Howell (Bourg-en-Bresse Ain Cyclisme) closed a 20-second gap on the descent before running wide in a corner. Nicola Conci (XDS Astana Team), Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ United) and Rémi Arsac (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) managed to rejoin the leading group in the closing kilometres.
Despite a late attack from Cepeda with two kilometres remaining, Axel Mariault proved the strongest in the uphill sprint to the finish, defeating Beloki, Rolland, Meehan, Arsac, Conci and Ribeiro Bravo. Like Beloki the previous day, the CIC Pro Cycling Academy rider celebrated the first professional victory of his career, a success he was delighted to dedicate to his team. In doing so, he denied EF Education-EasyPost a historic clean sweep of all three stages while securing second place overall, 52 seconds behind the winner.
After three days of controlled and intelligent racing, Spain’s Markel Beloki claimed the second stage race victory of his young career. Jamie Meehan (22), already third in Lélex in 2025, completed the overall podium. Patryk Goszczurny, the 20-year-old Pole who launched the day’s first attack, earned the Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes polka-dot jersey as King of the Mountains.
Once again, the Tour de l’Ain confirmed its status as one of cycling’s finest showcases for emerging international talent.
Key Results
Stage 3 Winner: Axel Mariault (CIC Pro Cycling Academy)
Solimut Mutuelle de France Yellow Jersey (General Classification), Crédit Mutuel Green Jersey (Points), EGT Environnement White Jersey (Best Young Rider): Markel Beloki Fernandez (EF Education-EasyPost)
Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Polka-Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains): Patryk Goszczurny (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development)
Most Combative Rider (Stage 3): Gil Gelders (Soudal Quick-Step)
Best Team: Soudal Quick-Step
Full results available at: www.stsport.fr
