The MPCC Cortisol Test

Pierre Rolland

La polémique. Yesterday’s news from L’Equipe.fr that Pierre Rolland should not have started the final stage of the Dauphiné has caused an obvious fuss for French cycling featuring a big name, being weeks from the Tour de France and, like it or not, bringing the suspicion of dopage.

The first thing to note is that this is not an anti-doping measure. Instead it is for health reasons and if Rolland is not enjoying the headlines the silver lining is that he’s now able to rest and recover from a potential health scare. But what is this test and what happened with Rolland during the Dauphiné?

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The Moment The Race Was Won: The Dauphiné

Chris Froome rides to third place on Stage 4, a 32km time trial. The ride left him five seconds off the yellow jersey taken by the impressive Rohan Dennis but Froome well clear of his rivals for the overall, with 1.25 on Michael Rogers and then more on the likes of Dani Moreno and Alberto Contador. This was the moment the race was won.

Over the following days Froome won a stage, took the race lead, put time into his rivals and even helped team mate and friend Richie Porte secure second place overall. It was a mixed race with a variety of stages but an inevitable conclusion.

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Tour de Suisse Stage 3 Preview

Bauke Mollema timed his attack perfectly on Stage 2 when he caught Ryder Hesjedal on the final kilometer and soloed away to win the stage. After the stage, Mollema was quick to point to the overall podium as his new target in the race, something I had him down for in my overall preview as well. Unfortunately the Dutch climber got a 20 seconds penalty after the stage since he had gotten a bottle of water from his team car within the last 20 km. Mollema is now 34 seconds after Cameron Meyer in the GC and that means he needs to attack more the up-coming days.

Stage 3 is 204.9 km long but the first 165 km are more or less flat. As the riders enter Meiringen the road kicks up with a small category 4 climb on Grimselstrasse. The 1.9 km with an average of 5.6 % won’t make a big selection but the following category 1 climb will indeed.

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Tour de Suisse Stage 2 Preview

As I already wrote in the overall preview, Stage 2 has been modified due to bad weather in the mountains. That means the early HC-climb Nufenenpass has been cancelled and the stage has been shortened from 160 to 117.2 km.

A short stage is a fast stage and without the climb in the beginning, the peloton will be starting out in high speed. Many riders will look to get in the breakaway and thereby have an advantage starting the final climb. Without bonus seconds on the line the GC contenders don’t have to focus on the stage win but I think it will come back together and end with one of the favorites winning on Crans Montana.

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Dauphiné Stage 8 Preview

The final day of the Dauphiné is still a big mountain stage but easier than the previous day. It’s shorter, there are fewer climbs and vertical metres, plus the final climb is a regular affair. But it’s still a race.

If Chris Froome looks comfortable, a prestigious mountain stage victory is up for grabs and Saxo-Tinkoff’s work to get Michael Rogers into third place remains provisional given several riders are only seconds away from the Australian.

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Tour de Suisse Stage 1 Preview

The Tour de Suisse starts today with an opening time trial. All during the race there will be daily previews thanks to Mikkel Condé of C-Cycling. I’ve been supplying him with previews for the Dauphiné and he’s offering his analysis and forecasts for the Swiss race.

This blog isn’t always about race previews and live coverage of events but both the Dauphiné and Suisse are big summer races and key tests of form before the Tour de France and I find the act of analysis helps get more out of the stage, it helps you look for the details.

Note the Swiss race has very different TV schedules with the finish every day planned for after 6.00pm Euro time although today’s time trial is earlier.

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Friday Shorts

Strava Doping – Wiggins spotted – Contract Time – Team Rankings – Europcar’s lease ending – Corsica – Novikov – New EPO test

Can you imagine what it feels like to lose a race to an EPO user? The doper gets the trophy, the cash prize and the salary boost. If it feels far away then perhaps many more ordinary cyclists will now get the same feeling of rage with the advent of Strava doping. The popular online network allows users to record their times on various segments, such as a local hill. But there’s now a website called Digital EPO which promises to “juice your ride.”

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Dauphiné Stage 7 Preview

The Queen stage of the race with the royally difficult climb of Alpe d’Huez to start the day before a succession of climbs before the tough Col du Noyer and its ski station at Superdévoluy.

This stage can’t be seen in isolation as it both complements and contrasts with Sunday’s final mountain stage, a procession of steep and awkward climbs as compared to the final day which offers more regular ramps. In fact this stage is probably the last chance for a shake-up on the overall.

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Dauphiné Stage 6 Preview

A good stage but it’s possible the best part is hidden from view as the tricky Col du Barioz will be climbed before the TV coverage begins. This climb is difficult and could be selective. It won’t trouble Chris Froome and his team but it could see sprinters ejected for good despite the promise of a flat finish in Grenoble.

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