Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes 2026 preview, profiles, favourites & predictions - First Tour de France-prep race in the Alps
Cycling
On the 3rtd of June 2026 the peloton takes on the Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes; taking place in the southeast of France, as one of the few European one-day races that are specifically aimed for the climbers; some of them preparing for the upcoming Tour de France. We preview the race and take a look at its favourites and profile.
Profile Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes Maritimes 2026

Puiget-Théniers - Valberg, 152.5 kilometers
The race is 152.5 kilometers in distance, beginning in Puiget-Théniers and having the first 30 kilometers be on a slight downhill. From 150 meters of altitude, the peloton then begins to gradually go up a valley road into the Col de la Colmiane.
This climmb is, officially, only 7.5 kilometers long at 7%, however there is more altitude gain in the run-up to that phase of the climb itself, meaning it will be a very long effort up into the mountains. That climb ends with 78 kilometers to go.
After the descent, the riders go up again, this time into the Col de la Couillole, the hardest ascent of the day with 15.8 kilometers in distance and an average gradient of 7.3%. It ends with 41 kilometers to go, followed by a hilly plateau section where there can be some tactical moves.
The riders descend directly into the base of the climb to Valberg then, with the final climb averaging 6.2% over 14 kilometers in distance. This climb coincides with the finish line and is where the main attacks are expected to happen; however the climb to Couillole can't be underestimated as the differences made there can last all the way to the finish line.
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Prediction Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes Maritimes 2026:
*** Iván Sosa, Jordan Jegat
** Guillaume Martin, Domenico Pozzovivo, Léo Bisiaux
* Clément Berthet, Nicolas Breuilliard, Sergio Chumil, José Manuel Díaz, Jannis Peter, Alessandro Verre, Alessandro Fancellu
Pick: Jordan Jegat
How: Solo win.
Original: Rúben Silva

Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
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