'I can't say it!' - Riders struggle with pronunciation following Dauphiné name change

Sunday marked the beginning of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the race formally known as the Critérium du Dauphiné.

The race was formed in 1947 as the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, named after the newspaper that organised the event. When ASO took over the organisation of the race in 2010, the decision was made to drop Libéré from the race title, leaving it as the Critérium du Dauphiné.

To many, that initial name change took time to adjust to. Now, for the 2026 edition, a far more significant alteration has certainly left many with plenty of learning to do.

ASO announced in June 2025 that the renaming of the race marked a partnership with the local government of the wider Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, explaining that: “This name change reflects the geographical identity that the race has acquired over more than ten years.”

Tadej Pogačar won the 2025 edition, the final under the previous name, and Sunday marked the start of a new chapter for the race, with a 146.2km stage from Vizille to Saint-Ismier. 

However, before the flag dropped, many riders at the start were asked about the rebrand and openly joked about coming to terms with the pronunciation, speaking with CyclingPro.net.

Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) was asked if he knew the new name, and he simply responded: "Dauphiné," with a smile. 

“I can’t say it at all, so I’m not going to embarrass myself.” With eight tough stages before the race’s conclusion, Healy jokingly remarked that there is still plenty of time to practice.

Meanwhile, Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla), lining up for his first race since fracturing both his wrists in a training crash, shared a similar sentiment regarding the linguistic hurdle.

“I was about to say it before, but I will just mess it up. I don't want to look bad on camera. But it's a beautiful name, and a beautiful French name. I can't personally say it. My daughter for sure can because she can speak French, but for me, no,” said Matthews.

When asked if he just needed a bit more time to master it, Matthews responded: “Yeah, give me a few days. I’ll try towards the end of this race, and we will see how we go.”

Some riders did manage to pass the first test before the racing itself, with the likes of Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) and George Bennett (NSN) pronouncing the name correctly on camera.

Regardless of whether the peloton fully embraces the new name or not, the riders know that over the next week, the legs will do the talking on the brutal alpine stages.