Our preview of the Critérium du Dauphiné which takes place between 5-12 June and is the latest race on the UCI's WorldTour.
Preview of the 62nd edition
The Critérium du Dauphiné is back for its 62nd edition between 5-12 June and, like all the races this month, it offers one of the final chances for the riders to impress before the Tour de France line-ups are finalised.
Traditionally the race has been one of the most mountainous on the UCI's WorldTour and this year is no exception with the Collet d'Allevard and Col du Glandon just two big-name ascents which have been included this time around.
Edvald Boasson Hagen, Christian Knees, Geraint Thomas and Bradley Wiggins all impressed at Bayern Rundfahrt last month and are back in action again, and they will be joined by Juan Antonio Flecha, Simon Gerrans, Rigoberto Urán and Xabier Zandio.
Here we take a look at the route they will take during their eight days in south eastern France:
Sunday 5 June: Prologue – Saint Jean de Maurienne to Saint Jean de Maurienne - 5.4km
The riders will have to be well warmed up for this short burst as it’s uphill for the first 900m to the top of the fourth-category Cote de Bonrieux. The prologue should be won or lost here as the rest of the course is relatively flat and straightforward by comparison, save for a few 90-degree bends along the way.
TV Coverage: Highlights on British Eurosport 2 between 1915-2000.
Monday 6 June: Stage one - Albertville to Saint Pierre de Chartreuse - 144km
A flat first 30km will allow the bunch to get themselves fettled before a lumpy day on the road which includes three categorised climbs in the next 49km. They shouldn’t cause too many problems though, and the peloton is likely to be back together by the time they hit the concluding climb up to Saint Pierre de Chartreuse. This category-two ascent maintains an average gradient of 4.8% on its 7.8km face, but that could still see a handful of riders pull clear and battle it out for a place in the leader’s blue and yellow jersey.
TV Coverage: Live on British Eurosport 2 between 1430-1630.
Tuesday 7 June: Stage two - Voiron to Lyon - 179km
The fourth-category Cote de Miribel-les-Echelles will get the blood pumping early on as its peak comes just 21km into the stage, and should provide a launchpad for the day’s main breakaway. Their lead will no doubt grow on the flat section which follows, but the chasers will be looking to gradually peg them back as they traverse the Cotes du Château de Saint-Julien and Pérouges (both category four), and then swallow them up before they sweep into Lyon. It is then that the punchier sprinters will be looking to come to the fore as the stage ends with a 1.8km rise at 4.8% to the top of the Côte de la Croix-Rousse (category four).
TV Coverage: Live on British Eurosport 2 between 1430-1630.
Wednesday 8 June: Stage three (TT) – Grenoble to Grenoble - 42.5km
This lengthy time trial will come as a godsend to those specialists who are looking to impress in the Tour de France, as the route is the very same one they will tackle again on the penultimate day of the Tour. The rolling profile will suit the stronger riders in the bunch, and the final 25km should be brisk as the road drops down from Saint-Martin d’Uriage to Gieres before a flat run back into Grenoble.
TV Coverage: Live on British Eurosport 2 between 1430-1630.
Thursday 9 June: Stage four - La Motte-Servolex to Macon - 172km
This one has sprint stage written all over it. The peloton could splinter early on as they climb the Col du Chat (6.2 km climb to 6.7 % - category 2) in the opening 13.5km, but from then on there is nothing to trouble the riders other than the lumpy Cotes de Peyzieu and Chatillon-la-Palud (both category four). Should anyone remain ahead after those climbs, they will undoubtedly be hauled back in the fast final kilometres before the lead-out trains battle it out for supremacy in Macon.
TV Coverage: Live on British Eurosport 1 between 1430-1630.
Friday 10 June: Stage five - Parc des Oiseaux - Villars les Dombes to Les Gets - 207.5km
The race organisers have ramped up the difficulty from hereon in and the longest stage of the tour barely contains a metre of flat as the race winds its way towards the Alps. Although there are only three second-category climbs, the heavy parcours will no doubt sap the energy and ensure only the fittest survive to contest the stage win at the top of the Montée des Gets. This peak, with its 10.7km face and average 4.7% gradient, is by no means the toughest in the region, but at 1167m, it should see the main contenders come to the fore.
TV Coverage: Live on British Eurosport 2 between 1430-1630.
Saturday 11 June: Stage six - Les Gets to Le Collet d’Allevard - 185km
The race is well and truly in the mountains now and four tricky ascents inside the first 100km could see a sizable gruppetto form if the pace is high. It is only in the last 60km though that things really toughen up, and the rarely-used Col du Grand Cucheron (16.2km at 5% - category 1) could spring a few surprises before the riders drop back down to the foot of the Collet d’Allevard. This hors-categorie beast will undoubtedly separate the men from the boys, and the first rider home at the summit could well be in the leader’s jersey for the final day of action.
TV Coverage: Highlights on British Eurosport 1 between 1745-1900.
Sunday 12 June: Stage seven - Pontcharra to La Toussuire - 117.5km
The race looks set to go out with a bang here as the final stage is undoubtedly the most brutal. The action should begin easily enough with a flat-ish opening 54km, but once they hit the hors-categorie Col du Glandon, riders will be shelled left, right and centre on this hellish 22km drag which maintains an average of 7%. And it that wasn’t enough, once the riders have crested that summit, they must then continue immediately on to the top of the neighbouring Col de la Croix de Fer. The next 20km of almost continuous descent will allow the weary peloton to catch their breath before the final sting in the tail comes on the Montée de la Toussuire (14.8km at 5.8% - category 1) – and it is here that the 2011 winner will be crowned.
TV Coverage: Highlights on British Eurosport 1 between 1715-1830.
(all TV timings are subject to change)
