A young French rider has decided to say no to the Tour de France during the next edition.
Son of Stéphane Augé, Ronan Augé methodically continues his rise to the very highest level. At only 21 years old, the Béarnais rider is coming out of a full season in the colors of CIC U Nantes and is preparing to join the Unibet Rose Rockets team in 2026, an ambitious team at the gates of the WorldTour and a credible candidate for an invitation to the Tour de France. A rewarding context, which does not encourage him to skip the steps.
At the microphone of Cyclism’Actu, Augé returned lucidly to a late but fully assumed progression. Aware of having started with a deficit in training volume among juniors, he chose patience rather than haste.
“I knew it took time to absorb the charges. Once the volume was there, the level would follow”he explains, recalling that the express trajectories of certain young talents, like Paul Seixas, remain exceptions in such a demanding sport.
This measured approach allowed him not to sink into discouragement, where many struggle to take the plunge after a stint in Continental. For Augé, the key is as much mental as physical: “Physical development takes time. And the professional world is tough: the program is busy, the level is very high, your head can quickly give out. I stayed in my line. »
The Tour de France? “It would be too early”
His arrival at Unibet Rose Rockets will mark a new stage in his career, with the prospect of gradually discovering WorldTour races. Here again, there is no question of going too quickly. The staff and the runner agreed on a first season focused on development, particularly in sprinting. “The program will evolve according to my progress”he specifies, without setting premature objectives.
As for the 2026 Tour de France, although it is possible for his future team, Ronan Augé is categorical. “It would be too early”he says lucidly. Aware that the Grande Boucle is also won through experience and physical maturity, the young Frenchman prefers to bide his time. “I still need experience and development. The average age of the Tour is around 28: this is no coincidence. The level is incredible, you have to arrive with a lot of physical baggage. So maybe one day, but not yet”he concludes.
