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.
Geolocation Telemetry on Trial
“What are those black things under the saddle?” is the most frequently asked question from readers and Twitter followers this week. Riders in the Critérium du Dauphiné have a small black stick poking out of the back of the saddle. Look and you can see them in the image above. It’s for beaming data, it’s on trial this week before an expected launch in the Tour de France.
Dauphiné Stage 3 Preview
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.
Dauphiné Stage 2 Preview
A route for the sprinters but with so few of them in the race it could give others a chance to get away knowing not enough teams will chase. Once again don’t get caught out by the early finish.
Dauphine Stage 1 Preview
Start as you mean to go on. In this Alpine stage race Stage 1 starts in the heart of the mountains with a hilly circuit to give the sprinters and puncheurs a chance to get the double of the stage win and the yellow jersey while the eight climbs will give someone the chance to wear the mountains jersey for a couple of days. Beware the early afternoon finish.
Who Will Win The Dauphiné?
Last year’s race was one of the best races of 2014 and coming on the back of a thrilling Giro means this year’s Critérium du Dauphiné has a lot to live up to. But all the ingredients are in place with a varied, mountainous route and startlist packed with big name contenders for the Tour de France.
INRNG Socks
The INRNG supporter socks have arrived. What you see is what you get, they’re black and have a 75mm medium high cuff. They’re made in Italy from Coolmax and Lycra. They’re for sale with UK shop Prendas Ciclismo.
Team Victory Rankings
We’re now approaching the halfway point of the season as measured by racing days with close to 300 days of racing done of the 606 on the calendar.
Book Review: Bernard Hinault and the Fall and Rise of French Cycling
Bernard Hinault and the Fall and Rise of French Cycling by William Fotheringham
Some say Bernard Hinault was better than Eddy Merckx. If the Belgian has a better palmarès they reckon Hinault would win if they started a fantasy race at the height of their powers. It’s amusing speculation and we’ll never know. What is more certain is that Hinault was the last rider to try and win everything, he did the Giro-Tour double but also the Worlds, Paris-Roubaix and so much more. One big factor behind this is Hinault’s forceful character.
Double Trouble
Can Alberto Contador do the Giro d’Italia – Tour de France double? It’s the big question right now. With the Giro in our minds and in his legs, much of the talk is of managing the fatigue and peaking again in July. Surely Contador’s biggest problem isn’t the success he’s just enjoyed nor the tapering and training, it’s the challenge of trying to beat Nairo Quintana, Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali and others in July. Talk of “the double” implies a parity between the Giro and Tour that doesn’t exist.