The Critérium du Dauphiné has delivered some of the best racing in recent years, a fine race in its own right while the Tour de France looms large and adds to the intrigue. There’s the prospect of a battle between Chris Froome and Alberto Contador and behind them is a long list of riders in need of a win.
Here’s a look at the overall contenders for the race which begins on Sunday. There will be daily stage previews here during the race.
The route for the 2016 Critérium du Dauphiné has been presented today, a ray of summer sunshine amid the clouds, mud and crosswinds that dominate the sport right now. The Dauphiné is a race that’s often seen in the shadow of the Tour de France because it borrow some of the same roads and also because it’s a dress rehearsal for July but this is always a good race in its own right, think Chris Froome’s final stage overhaul of Tejay van Garderen in last year or Andrew Talansky’s tactical masterpiece the year before. Here’s a closer look at this year’s route and more.
The accounts are out for the Critérium du Dauphiné. Breaking down the revenue sources and costs for a World Tour stage race would be a fascinating exercise but it’s commercially confidential for starters and the accounts for the Dauphiné are so economic on detail that there’s no chance of writing much about them. All we know is the race budget is around €2 million and for 2014 the race generated a profit €46,383, down from €64,734 the previous year.
The Critérium du Dauphiné is often one of the best races of the year. Mix the start of summer with Alpine roads and a great startlist and you have all the ingredients for a great race. Crucially there’s the proximity to the Tour de France and the sense that actions and events in this race will carry through into the next month, a tale of travel rather than arrival.
Once again the week provided plenty of sport and speculation, daily action and clues about the Tour de France but the highlight was Stage 6 to the Vercors plateau.
Chris Froome attacks Tejay van Garderen on the final climb of the final stage. The American is in yellow and has been marking Froome on the climbs all week, letting Froome go and then patiently trying to reel him in. But this time there’s just a few seconds to save the race. Van Garderen lets Froome go, holds him within range but the gap stretches out: five seconds, six seconds, ten seconds and then Van Garderen cracks. This was the moment the race was won.
The last but not the least of the stages of the 2015 Critérium du Dauphiné. The scenic Lacets de Montvernier feature before the final climb to Valfréjus. The stage ends with a ski station summit finish but it’s a short climb, maybe still enough for Chris Froome to challenge Tejay van Garderen’s overall lead.
After yesterday’s tough stage in the rain now comes an Alpine festival with a difficult summit finish. There will be some sore legs after yesterday’s warfare and the likes of Chris Froome and Tejay van Garderen will want to test Vincenzo Nibali’s grip on the yellow jersey.
A race across the scenic Vercors plateau to Villard de Lans, the scene of many Tour de France legends.
The longest stage in the race and the day for breakaway chancers to go on a raid. For a change today’s finish is later than the previous stages.
A team time trial and three races in one. First to win the stage, second to place GC riders in position and third a dress rehearsal ahead of the Tour de France and its own 28km time trial.