Description
June 3, 2026
6th Mercan’Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes 2026 🇫🇷 (1.1) ME – Puget-Théniers – Valberg : 152 km
Mercan’Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes is a UCI 1.1 classification that unfolds across the rugged,
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June 3, 2026
6th Mercan’Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes 2026 🇫🇷 (1.1) ME – Puget-Théniers – Valberg : 152 km
Mercan’Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes is a UCI 1.1 classification that unfolds across the rugged, high-altitude terrain of the Alpes-Maritimes in southeastern France, where the roads climb relentlessly through the Mercantour Massif, a landscape of jagged peaks, deep valleys, and alpine meadows. The course is a grueling test of climbing prowess, with long, sustained ascents that often exceed gradients of 8–10% on narrow, winding roads that snake through dense forests and open pastures before reaching exposed, high-altitude finishes. The climbs are irregular, featuring steep ramps, false flats, and sections of rough tarmac that demand both power and precision, while the descents are fast and technical, with tight hairpins and uneven surfaces adding an element of risk.
The race dynamics are shaped by these relentless climbs, where attacks often launch on the steepest sections or during moments of fatigue in the peloton, thinning the field to a select group of elite climbers. The high-altitude finishes, often above 2,000 meters, amplify the effort required to maintain pace, with the thin air and unpredictable weather adding an extra layer of difficulty. The final kilometers frequently feature a decisive climb or a fast, technical descent into the finish, where a reduced group of riders contests the line in a sprint or a solo escapee holds off the chasers by a narrow margin. The Mercan’Tour Classic is a race that rewards endurance, climbing ability, and tactical intelligence, embodying the raw challenge of the Alps.
Spanish pro Ibon Ruiz (Equipo Kern Pharma) claimed the first victory of his professional career at Mercan’Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes, a brutal one-day race filled with climbing in the south of France.
The victory looked for all money as though it was going to Léo Bisiaux (Decathlon CMA CGM), after the young Frenchman attacked away solo with 11.6km to go on the final 14.4km climb to Valberg and surged around 20 seconds ahead of the chasers.
Bisiaux held onto this lead for most of the ascent until Ruiz’s teammate Ivan Sosa came to the front and started setting a brutal tempo in the last 2.6km. By this point, only the Equipo Kern Pharma duo and recently out-of-retirement veteran Domenico Pozzovivo (Solution Tech NIPPO Rali) were still in contention.
Sosa closed down the faltering Bisiaux with 450 metres left to climb, and quickly it became clear that the duo from the Spanish team were the strongest two, leaving the Frenchman and Pozzovivo behind.
Ruiz moved to the front past Sosa to celebrate victory over the line, with his teammate not far behind in Second. Bisiaux held on to finish on the podium, 11 seconds down.
Results :
 ME </strong> - Puget-Théniers - Valberg : 152 km
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Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes is a UCI 1.1 classification that unfolds across the rugged, high-altitude terrain of the Alpes-Maritimes in southeastern France, where the roads climb relentlessly through the Mercantour Massif, a landscape of jagged peaks, deep valleys, and alpine meadows. The course is a grueling test of climbing prowess, with long, sustained ascents that often exceed gradients of 8–10% on narrow, winding roads that snake through dense forests and open pastures before reaching exposed, high-altitude finishes. The climbs are irregular, featuring steep ramps, false flats, and sections of rough tarmac that demand both power and precision, while the descents are fast and technical, with tight hairpins and uneven surfaces adding an element of risk.
The race dynamics are shaped by these relentless climbs, where attacks often launch on the steepest sections or during moments of fatigue in the peloton, thinning the field to a select group of elite climbers. The high-altitude finishes, often above 2,000 meters, amplify the effort required to maintain pace, with the thin air and unpredictable weather adding an extra layer of difficulty. The final kilometers frequently feature a decisive climb or a fast, technical descent into the finish, where a reduced group of riders contests the line in a sprint or a solo escapee holds off the chasers by a narrow margin. The Mercan'Tour Classic is a race that rewards endurance, climbing ability, and tactical intelligence, embodying the raw challenge of the Alps.
Spanish pro Ibon Ruiz (Equipo Kern Pharma) claimed the first victory of his professional career at Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes, a brutal one-day race filled with climbing in the south of France.
The victory looked for all money as though it was going to Léo Bisiaux (Decathlon CMA CGM), after the young Frenchman attacked away solo with 11.6km to go on the final 14.4km climb to Valberg and surged around 20 seconds ahead of the chasers.
Bisiaux held onto this lead for most of the ascent until Ruiz's teammate Ivan Sosa came to the front and started setting a brutal tempo in the last 2.6km. By this point, only the Equipo Kern Pharma duo and recently out-of-retirement veteran Domenico Pozzovivo (Solution Tech NIPPO Rali) were still in contention.
Sosa closed down the faltering Bisiaux with 450 metres left to climb, and quickly it became clear that the duo from the Spanish team were the strongest two, leaving the Frenchman and Pozzovivo behind.
Ruiz moved to the front past Sosa to celebrate victory over the line, with his teammate not far behind in Second. Bisiaux held on to finish on the podium, 11 seconds down.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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