Thursday’s fifth stage of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes posed the question: could yet another breakaway carry the day? After all the previous three road stages went to fugitives, the handful of sprinters in the peloton wanted its turn and took it. Wout van Aert posted his sixth individual career victory in the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Hugo Houle went out in the day’s breakaway.
The Course
There were some lumps in the first half of 195.8 km from Saint-Chamond to Parc des Oiseaux Villars-les-Dombes, including two Cat. 4 climbs right out of the gate, but the latter half was quite flat.
Hugo Houle, whose attempt to join Wednesday’s breakaway sputtered out, was in Thursday’s six-man international escape: a Canadian, a Frenchman, a Dutchman, a Spaniard, a German and a Belgian. With 112 km left to race, the sextet had 2:00 on the Visma-Lease a Bike-led peloton. The fugitives evaded the pack until 12 km to go.
The colour blocks formed as Parc des Oiseaux Villars-les-Dombes drew nearer. Cofidis raced with their tails up. NSN’s Radav Raisberg wished to keep his green points jersey. Visma led under the red kite. Van Aert was on the right hand barriers, forcing Dorian Godon to go around, but the Belgian held fast.
The big climb-y final weekend starts early on Friday with a double Cat. 1 capper.
2026 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Stage 5
1) Wout van Aert (Belgium/Visma-Lease a Bike) 4:31:59
2) Hugo Hofstetter (France/NSN) s.t.
3) Phil Bauhaus (Germany/Bahrain-Victorious) s.t.
65) Hugo Houle (Canada/Alpecin-Premier Tech) s.t.
101) Michael Leonard (Canada/EF Education-Easypost) s.t.
2026 Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes GC
1) Alex Baudin (France/EF Education-Easypost) 18:07:12
2) Kévin Vauquelin (France/Netcompany-Ineos) +0:12
3) Oscar Onley (Great Britain/Netcompany-Ineos) s.t.
73) Michael Leonard (Canada/EF Education-Easypost) +22:55
106) Hugo Houle (Canada/Alpecin-Premier Tech) +34:49