2013 Critérium du Dauphiné

[tombeej]

Starts this Sunday :)

 

 

Route:

Sunday 2nd June, stage 1: Champéry-Champéry, 121 km

Monday 3rd June, stage 2: Châtel - Oyonnax, 183 km

Tuesday 4th June, stage 3: Ambérieu-en-Bugey - Tarare, 164 km

Wednesday 5th June, stage 4: Villars-les-Dombes – Parc des Oiseaux, 32.5 km (individual time-trial).

Thursday 6thJune, stage 5: Grésy-sur-Aix - Valmorel, 139 km

Friday 7th June, stage 6: La Léchère - Grenoble, 141.5 km

Saturday 8th June, stage 7: Le Pont-de-Claix - Superdévoluy, 184 km

Sunday 9th June, stage 8: Sisteron -Risoul, 152 km

 

Details:

 

The queen stage (stage 7) takes the peloton over l’Alpe d’Huez and down the tricky descent off the mountain to Le Freney d’Oisans ahead of a summit finish at Superdévoluy.

 

Organisers ASO have described the Dauphiné’s penultimate day as “a unique opportunity to prepare for the 18th stage of the Tour de France,” which climbs l’Alpe d’Huez twice and also features the Freney d’Oisans descent.

 

Like at the Tour, the Dauphiné peloton will ride up the famous 21 bends of l’Alpe d’Huez before continuing on to the Col de Sarenne pass ahead of the descent to Le Freney d’Oisans. Rather than swing around and go back up the Alpe, however, stage 7 of the Dauphiné will see the peloton tackle the Col du Noyer before finishing at Superdévoluy.

 

The beginning of the Dauphiné is an innovative one as the race starts in Switzerland for the first time. Rather than the traditional prologue, the Dauphiné gets underway with a hilly 121km stage starting and finishing in Champéry.

 

Two days that will pit the escapees against the sprinters follow before the crucial stage 4 time trial from Villars-les-Dombes to Parc des Oiseaux. The two time trials at the July’s Tour de France are 32 and 33 kilometres long, respectively, and in keeping with recent tradition, the Dauphiné follows suit – the time trial here is 32.5km in length and on a rolling course.

 

The denouement of the race begins in earnest on stage 5 with a summit finish at Valmorel. A rugged day to Grenoble precedes a weekend double header in the high mountains wraps up proceedings.

 

Stage 7 on the Saturday is 184km in length and brings the race over the l’Alpe d’Huez/Col de Sarenne and the Col du Noyer before the new summit finish to Superdévoluy. The final stage includes the Col de Vars and there is scarcely a metre of flat in the final 40km ahead of the finish at Risoul.

[jcza]

:clap: :clap:

[tombeej]

Perfect opportunity for the Froome Dog to stamp his leadership mark on tthe Sky team. Big expectations for the lad, especially considering he's won just about every stage race he's entered this year.

[bradwentzel]

DSTV?

[tombeej]

Battle of 3 of the biggest TDF names will happen this coming week. Time to show us who really is in top shape for the coming showdown in July...

 

Froome

Contador

Rodríguez

 

plus...

 

Valverde

van den Broeck

Talansky

Rolland

Brajkovič

[T-Bob]

Top Competitors

 

1.FROOME Christopher

2.RODRIGUEZ Joaquim

3.VALVERDE Alejandro

4.MARTIN Tony

5.CONTADOR Alberto

6BOASSON HAGEN Edvald

7.CHAVANEL Sylvain

8.PORTE Richie

9MORENO Daniel

10QUINTANA Nairo Alexander

11GERRANS Simon

12KWIATKOWSKI Michal

13WESTRA Lieuwe

14VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen

15. BOUHANNI Nacer

Will be interesting to see what Quintana can do as he's go dual team leadership of Movistar later this year.

Edited May 28, 2013 by hellocolour

[tombeej]

DSTV?

 

YEP!

 

Here's the schedule.

['Dale]

YEP!

 

Here's the schedule.

 

Cool cool

[Cheese]

YEP!

 

Here's the schedule.

Thanks.

[SwissVan]

Alberto vs Froome round #1 ding ding...

 

Just hope the weather improves

 

Champrey stage 1

 

webcam http://www.champery.ch/livecam.php?nav=97&pageType=1&language=2&season=1

[LOOK695]

Will be great to watch. They need to save some energy for the TdF though B)

[jcza]

Will be great to watch. They need to save some energy for the TdF though B)

 

Can't wait but they'll be playing their cards very close to the chest.

 

Froome vs Contador vs Rodrigues

[dracs]

Can't wait but they'll be playing their cards very close to the chest.

 

Froome vs Contador vs Rodrigues

One would think, but someone could go the other way as well and try land some early blows...

 

Wonder if Berto has found some form? This is what he has been up to while we were watching the Giro...

Edited May 29, 2013 by dracs

['Dale]

One would think, but someone could go the other way as well and try land some early blows...

 

Wonder if Berto has found some form? This is what he has been up to while we were watching the Giro...

 

Awesome pic.

The man at work.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I have looked at the profiles and with only 2 mountain top finishes and both not that difficult (a cat 3 and a cat 1) I dont know if theres sufficient gradient or distance for the real climbers like Rodriguez and 'Berto to stretch their legs and make a meaningful break, so I dont really think it will be a good indicator of anything other than general team ability, and here I have an issue, as I am not convinced Saxo is all that good.

 

Never the less, I will most certainly watch and I will most certainly root for young 'Berto, I think he is still one of the worlds best in any tour and besides, I just like his attitude.

[tombeej]

Riders are not going to be holding back.

 

It's the official 'curtain raiser' for the TDF, many teams have still not made their final decision on the makeup of their 9 riders for the TDF so there's a lot to play for here, and with 'only' 8 stages & a month of recovery before the Tour starts, they should be fully recovered in time for July.

 

When Wiggles won it last year, the Sky train was going full guns each day to get the GC win.

 

I'm sure Sky, Saxo-Tinkoff, Katusha and Movistar will all be taking this very seriously.