Warm-up for the Tour
The Critérium du Dauphiné is one of the most prestigious week-long races in the world and one of the two main preparatory events for the Tour de France, along with the Tour de Suisse. Positioned in the calendar three weeks before the “Grand Départ”, the race serves as the first test for many of the cyclists who will fight for the yellow jersey in July, finding in the mountain-laden course the ideal terrain to accumulate competition kilometers and get a feel for their rivals.
Although the two great dominators of the Tour de France in the last four years, Tadej Pogačar (1200) and Jonas Vingegaard (1200), will not participate in this edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné, other important contenders such as Primoz Roglič (1200), Remco Evenepoel (1200), and Juan Ayuso (1000) will be present.
Route
The race consists of eight stages. Although two stages are expected to end in some sort of sprint (stages 1 and 5), it is worth noting the inclusion of up to 5 mountaintop finishes, two in the medium mountain stages (stages 2 and 3) and three in the high mountain stages (stages 6, 7, and 8). The route is completed by the fourth day's time trial, which, with its 34.4 km length, can also make a difference in the overall classification.
Favorites
As mentioned, the Critérium du Dauphiné is the race chosen by both Primoz Roglič (1200) and Remco Evenepoel (1200) to return after the accident that affected them in the Itzulia Basque Country, and if they are feeling well, they should be the two main favorites for the general classification. Other notable riders who may aim for a good overall position include Juan Ayuso (1000), Carlos Rodriguez (1000), Alexandr Vlasov (1000), Jai Hindley (1000), Sepp Kuss (1000), Felix Gall (800), Santiago Buitrago (800), Giulio Ciccone (1000), David Gaudu (800), Mikel Landa (1000), Tao Geoghegan Hart (800), Tobias Johannessen (600), Matteo Jorgenson (800), Antonio Tiberi (400), and Rigoberto Urán (400).
In the flatter stages, Mads Pedersen (1200), Sam Bennett (600), Dorian Godon (400), Axel Laurence (400), Iván García Cortina (400), or Magnus Cort (600) will seek a stage victory, as will Joshua Tarling (200), Rémi Cavagna (400), and Bruno Armirail (200) in the individual time trial, although it is likely that this stage will also be taken by one of the GC contenders.
Photo: © A.S.O. / Billy Ceusters