Tour du Pays de Vaud

The Tour du Pays de Vaud is a Swiss stage race for junior cyclists aged 17-18. It has taken place since 1967 in the canton of Vaud and is part of the UCI Juniors Nations' Cup calendar. Consequently, the participants are primarily national-level junior squads, not typical club teams. The race format is a multi-stage road race, offering young riders a feel for the cadence of senior professional cycling: consecutive racing days, recovery, teamwork, and overall classification challenges. Its list of past winners explains why scouts monitor the event, featuring riders like Fabian Cancellara, Ian Stannard, Lasse Norman Hansen, Marc Hirschi, Mattias Skjelmose, Jan Christen, and Paul Seixas before their professional careers began. The race has faced interruptions, including cancellations because of the coronavirus pandemic and financial difficulties, highlighting that even established junior races rely on uncertain local support.