CYCLING: Tour de l’Avenir 2.2U 2026 (FRA)

France 20 Aug – 26 Aug 2026 Class 2.2U – Stages – Class 2 – U23

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The 62nd edition of the Tour de l’Avenir (UCI 2.2U) takes place from August 19 to August 27, 2026. Known as the premier multi-stage road race for Under-23 national teams and development squads, the race traverses key regions of France.

Event Details & Key Dates

• Dates: August 19 – 27, 2026
• Location: France
• Category: UCI 2.2U (Under-23 Stage Race)

Stage Breakdown Structure

1. Prologue / Opening Stage: Individual Time Trial or short road stage to establish the initial general classification.
2. Transition & Sprint Stages: Rolling and flat routes designed for sprinters and breakaway specialists across intermediate regions.
3. Mountain & Alpine Stages: The final days transition into high-altitude mountain passes, serving as the deciding stages for the general classification contenders.

The 62nd edition of the Tour de l’Avenir (UCI 2.2U) runs from August 20 to August 26, 2026. Covering 926 km and over 13,500 m of elevation gain, the route takes the U23 peloton from Normandy across central France, into the Alps, and finishes in the Italian Piedmont.

Stage	Date	Route	Distance / Type	Key Details
Stage 1	Aug 20	Ouistreham Riva-Bella → Argentan	152 km (Punchy)	Normandy start with a short, steep climb (1 km at 6.9%) near the finish.
Stage 2	Aug 21	Nogent-le-Rotrou → Amboise	116 km (Flat)	Short stage through the Loire Valley built for sprinters.
Stage 3	Aug 22	Vierzon → Saint-Vallier	232 km (Rolling)	Marathon stage; the longest day of the race with a uphill finish sector.
Stage 4	Aug 23	Saint-Vallier → Semur-en-Auxois	131 km (Hilly)	Transition day through Burgundy favoring breakaways or late attacks.
Stage 5	Aug 24	Les Carroz → Flaine	16 km (Mountain ITT)	Mountain Time Trial (760 m D+) via Col de Pierre Carrée with a gravel finish.
Stage 6	Aug 25	Châtillon-sur-Cluses → Col de l’Iseran	149 km (High Mountain)	Queen stage (4,945 m D+) finishing at the summit of the Col de l’Iseran (2,764 m).
Stage 7	Aug 26	Strambino → Ceresole Reale (Lago Serrù)	130 km (High Mountain)	Final Alpine test into Italy with 2,772 m D+ ending at Lago Serrù.

Stage 1: Ouistreham Riva-Bella → Argentan (152 km)

• Winner: Niels Driesen (BEL / Lotto–Intermarché)
• 2nd: Kasper Haugland (NOR / Decathlon CMA CGM Dev)
• 3rd: Lorenzo Mark Finn (ITA / Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe Rookies)

Stage 2: Nogent-le-Rotrou → Amboise (116 km)

• Winner: Keije Solen (NED / Lotto–Groupe Wanty) — 02:47:41
• 2nd: Thomas Capra (ITA / Bahrain Victorious Development Team) — +00s
• 3rd: Alessio Delle Vedove (ITA / XDS Astana Development Team) — +00s

Stage 3: Vierzon → Saint-Vallier

• 1st Place: Davide Stella (Italy) – UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z | Time: 04:57:47
• 2nd Place: Thomas Capra (Italy) – Bahrain Victorious Development | Gap: + 00
• 3rd Place: Dawid Lewandowski (Poland) – Poland | Gap: + 00

Stage 4: Saint-Vallier → Semur-en-Auxois (151 km)

French rider Aubin Sparfel (Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team) won Stage 4 after launching a powerful, late sprint in the final kilometer to overtake the breakaway riders right before the finish line.

Stage 4 Top 5 Results

1. Aubin Sparfel (FRA / Decathlon CMA CGM Dev) – 3:05:27 Cyclingflash
2. Mattia Negrente (ITA / XDS Astana Dev Team) +0:02 Cyclingflash
3. Riccardo Lorello (ITA) +0:02 Cyclingflash
4. Mats Vanden Eynde (BEL / Lidl-Trek Future Racing) +0:02 Cyclingflash
5. Thomas Capra (ITA / Bahrain Victorious Dev Team) +0:02 Cyclingflash

General Classification (Top 3 after Stage 4)

1. Niels Driesen (BEL) – Overall Leader Cyclingflash
2. Kasper Haugland (NOR) +0:00 Cyclingflash
3. Lorenzo Finn (ITA) +0:00 Cyclingflash

(Niels Driesen reclaimed the yellow leader’s jersey from Kasper Haugland due to a higher finish position in the stage sprint.)

The Stage 5 results (an 11.4 km mountain time trial from Les Carroz to Flaine) for the 2026 Tour de l’Avenir (2.2U):

1. Lorenzo Mark Finn (Italy / Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe Rookies) — 25:47
2. Ugo Fabries (France) — +00:34
3. Niels Driesen (Belgium / Lotto – Groupe Wanty) — +00:58
4. Matteo Vanhuffel (Belgium) — +01:06
5. Henrique Bravo (Brazil / Soudal Quick-Step Devo) — +01:11

With this stage victory, Lorenzo Finn took over the leader’s yellow jersey in the General Classification.

Stage 6 Results

1. Kasper Borremans (Bahrain Victorious Development Team) — 04:33:43
2. Jasper Schoofs (Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team) — +0:03
3. Janek Jackowiak (Bahrain Victorious Development Team) — +0:19
4. Lorenzo Mark Finn (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe Rookies) — +0:39
5. Mateo Ramírez (UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z) — +0:42

General Classification Standings (After Stage 6)

1. Lorenzo Mark Finn (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe Rookies) — 18:41:08
2. Niels Driesen (Lotto-Groupe Wanty) — +2:07
3. Matteo Vanhuffel (Development Team Picnic PostNL) — +2:24

Stage 7 Results (Strambino › Ceresole Reale / Lago Serrù)

#	Rider	Team	Time / Gap
1	Lorenzo Finn	Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe Rookies	3:15:42
2	Niels Driesen	Lotto-Groupe Wanty	+ 0:27
3	Mateo Ramírez	UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z	+ 0:28
4	Henrique Bravo	Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team	+ 0:28
5	Ugo Fabries	UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z	+ 0:41
6	Rémi Arsac	Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team	+ 1:12
7	Kasper Haugland	Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team	+ 1:13
8	Jan Jackowiak	Bahrain Victorious Development Team	+ 1:18
9	Matteo Vanhuffel	Development Team Picnic PostNL	+ 1:18
10	Matteo Scalco	XDS Astana Development Team	+ 1:30

Final General Classification (GC)

#	Rider	Team	Time / Gap
1	Lorenzo Finn	Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe Rookies	21:56:50
2	Niels Driesen	Lotto-Groupe Wanty	+ 2:34
3	Matteo Vanhuffel	Development Team Picnic PostNL	+ 3:42
4	Mateo Ramírez	UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z	+ 3:46
5	Henrique Bravo	Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team	+ 3:57
6	Ugo Fabries	UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z	+ 4:19
7	Kasper Haugland	Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team	+ 4:45
8	Jan Jackowiak	Bahrain Victorious Development Team	+ 4:46
9	Jasper Schoofs	Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team	+ 5:19

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CyclingCafe

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I am a competitive cyclist with expertise in sports-related internet content. In the past, I have coached various amateur teams, and today I still participate in races open to everyone.

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