With the Tour de France just three weeks away, the mountain stages at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (aka the Dauphiné) was set to be a big test for two young riders who are set to make their debut appearances in La Grande Boucle.

Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss wrap up an enthralling week of racing in the French Alps as Mexico's young pretender Isaac Del Toro continued his development into one of the finest stage racers in the world. We know he'll be a huge help to his UAE Team Emirates leaders Tadej Pogačar at the Tour but might he be podium material in his own right?

Meanwhile, the French sensation Paul Seixas and his Decathlon team endured a setback – perhaps a timely reality check to temper the already sky-high expectations ahead of the Tour?

EPISODE SPONSORS

NordVPN
Get NordVPN two-year plan + four months extra ➼ https://nordvpn.com/tcp It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

Car Gurus
Buying a car is a big decision. That’s why CarGurus gives you the facts first – vehicle history, price changes, dealer reviews – everything you need to spot a great deal and steer clear of surprises. With CarGurus, you get access to hundreds of thousands of cars from top rated dealers, so you can find the best deal. Go to cargurus.co.uk

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

french alps