The first important stage race of the year (and its random weather conditions) shall start on Sunday the 8th in France, one day before Tirreno-Adriatico.
This year, the course completely avoids the Massif Central, but pays a brief visit into Morvan.
Despite the avoidance of the Massif Central, looking at profiles, there seems to be only 1 stage guaranteed for pure sprinters (the 2nd). The first one may smile upon sprinters-punchers, but even the stage going down the Rhône valley ends with climbs for punchers or punchers-climbers.
We may keep an eye on (among others):
- Vingegaard🇩🇰 from Visma, for his first race since his withdrawal from the European Championship last year;
Almeida🇵🇹 from UAE, a little bit sluggish so far;- Ayuso🇪🇸
& Skjelmose🇩🇰from Lidl-Trek; - Onley🇬🇧 & Vauquelin🇫🇷 from Ineos;
- Gaudu🇫🇷 & Costiou🇫🇷 from FDJ, if you are French and masochist, or if they raise the level they showed lately;
- L. Martinez🇫🇷 from Barhein.
Stages profiles
stage 1 (Sunday the 8th): 
stage 2: 
stage 3 (Team Time Trial): 
stage 4: 
stage 5: 
stage 6: 
stage 7: 
stage 8 (Sunday the 15th): 
Gaudu was dropped in a climb and DNF today on the Trofeo Laegi Legaigla Laigui Laigueglia🇮🇹. Not sure if he reached the circuit…
Trofeo Laguguigugiglia is a pretty good race, surprised there was no TV this year (every year?). Rai usually has all the minor hilly Italian races.
Oh, and this (minimal but existing) coverage allowed me to understand for the first time, when I recognised the Capo Mele name in the mouth of the Italian commentator, that this race was in fact located in the area near San Remo.
And Laigueglia is simply the name of the coastal town just before that capo in Milan–San-Remo, here ridden in the opposite way inside the final circuit.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/MJa2HUFAuLFcF1iF9 (zoom out)
TV coverage is mandatory for a .Pro I think. It was planned but cancelled a few days before the race, perhaps due to the change of organiser. Yet there was some coverage: on the Youtube channel of the Lega, they showed the last 24 km or so, at 5 PM as pre-recorded (very slightly pre-recorded, broadcasted right as the race was finishing).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmSb23CMWnc
It is not the first time I watch an Italian race this way, on a Youtube channel of the League or of the Ministry of Sports. I can’t remember which one(s) exactly, perhaps one of the Autumn classics, perhaps the Settimana Internazionale C&B or the Tour of Abbruzo. Hmm, checking my old posts in French, it cannot be Abruzzo as that tour was shown on traditional TV in France. Anyway, I already watched a race or two this way 😀
Not in Italy, but I remember watching the Tour of Greece (Hellas) on Youtube too: https://www.youtube.com/@tourofhellas/streams I see that they uploaded a presentation of the (May) 2026 race: 1h45 with 5 minutes of interest and the rest of suits and ties’ speeches, apparently 😅