Critérium du Dauphiné Stages Sunday 7th June - Stage 1 (medium mountain) - Ugine › Albertville (132k) Monday 8th June - Stage 2 (medium mountain) - Le Bourget-du-Lac › Parc des Oiseaux Villars-les-Dombes (173k) Tuesday 9th June - Stage 3 (TTT) - Roanne › Montagny (24.5k) Wednesday 10th June - Stage 4 (medium mountain) - Anneyron › Sisteron (228k) Thursday 11th June - Stage 5 (mountain) - Digne-les-Bains › Pra-Loup (161k) Friday 12th June - Stage 6 (mountain) - Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur › Villard-de-Lans - Vercors (183k) Saturday 13th June - Stage 7 (mountain) - Montmélian › Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc (155k) Sunday 14th June - Stage 8 (mountain) - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc › Modane Valfréjus (156.5k)
The Critérium du Dauphiné is probably the most important stage race in the calendar outside of the three Grand Tours. The 2015 edition is the 67th running. The race takes place in the Dauphiné region of South East France, and used to be known as the Dauphiné Libéré after the regional newspaper that originally founded and ran the race, with the first edition taking place in 1947. As usual, the race contains plenty of climbing miles this year. As well as an important race in its own right, the Dauphiné is important as prep for the Tour de France, this year possibly more than most due to several similarities between this route and some stages of the Tour.
This year we have a 24.5km team time trial (Stage 3) from Roanne - Montagny and we should see the teams use this to fine tune their skills ahead of the Tour's similar test in Brittany. The Dignes-Pra Loup (Stage 5) is identical to Stage 17 of the Tour, and the category 2 Montvernier climb from Stage 8 here is the final climb on Stage 18 of the Tour, coming just 8km from the end of the stage in St-Jean de Maurienne.
Chris Froome and Vincenzo Nibali will both use this as a chance to test their form ahead of their clash in the Tour itself. Last year, Nibali finished only 7th in this race before storming to glory in July. Chris Froome came in as defending champion, won the first two stages, including the opening time trial and next mountain stage but then crashed in Stage 6, lost his lead to Alberto Contador in Stage 7 before Andrew Talansky outfoxed both men to take the race overall on the final stage. In the two years before this both Chris Froome (2013) and Bradley Wiggins (2012) took this race before going on to win the Tour itself. It looks like Froome and Nibali will have plenty of competition for the Critérium du Dauphiné yellow jersey in 2015 as Tejay Van Garderen, Joaquin Rodriguez, Alejandro Valverde, Wilco Kelderman, Bauke Mollema, Romain Bardet, JC Peraud, Pierre Rolland and Julian Alaphilippe are all scheduled to be here. It will be interesting to see whether Nibali comes into this at 100% or if he's left something to work on with over a month still to go until he defends his Tour title.
Startlist http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Criterium_du_Dauphine_2015-startlist Critérium du Dauphiné Previous Winners 2014 | TALANSKY Andrew 2013 | FROOME Christopher 2012 | WIGGINS Bradley 2011 | WIGGINS Bradley 2010 | BRAJKOVIč Janez 2009 | VALVERDE Alejandro 2008 | VALVERDE Alejandro 2007 | MOREAU Christophe 2006 | LEIPHEIMER Levi 2005 | LANDALUZE INTXAURRAGA Inigo
2014 Critérium du Dauphiné Top-10 1.TALANSKY Andrew 31:08:08 2.CONTADOR Alberto 0:27 3.VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 0:35 4.KELDERMAN Wilco 0:43 5.BARDET Romain 1:20 6.YATES Adam 2:05 7.NIBALI Vincenzo 2:12 8.NIEVE Mikel 2:59 9.NAVARRO Daniel 3:04 10.FUGLSANG Jakob 3:17
He does have things in his favour - the TTT should favour Sky over most other GC contenders and he should make up time there. Without Bertie and Quintana, his main rival should be Nibali and he showed last year that he prefers to peak for July rather than this race. If he uses this for training again rather than to win then we can probably rule him out. The other contenders don't have the same strong team support or proven climbing ability, so it all points to Froome. Having said all that, 11/10 does not interest me at all so it's no bet for me at this stage.
He does have things in his favour - the TTT should favour Sky over most other GC contenders and he should make up time there. Without Bertie and Quintana, his main rival should be Nibali and he showed last year that he prefers to peak for July rather
* Bauke Mollema Signed with TFR at the end of last season as their principal climber and GT contender on a two year contract. Is approaching his prime as a 28yo late-starting rider, and is relishing the pressure of being the team's leader. Came out in fair form in the early season one day races in Spain, before withdrawing mid-race in Andalucia with sickness.
Recovered quickly and showed inspiring form when he was the only one who could go out after Quintana, in stage 5 up to Terminillo of Tirreno-Adriatico. He went on to finish in 2nd place on that stage and on GC, and that's impressive as that race had arguably the strongest GC field of any race this season, with Quintana, Purito, Contador, Nibali, and Uran all riding in the race.
Next, showing similar form in the Basque Country he again rode very strongly in the mountaintop finish stage 4 up to Arrate when again going up against top-class company. However, he was unlucky to suffer a high speed crash on the next stage, and whilst he finished the stage he withdrew from the race. Luckily, the extent of his injuries was only shredded skin.
His Ardennes campaign looked to be a training ride, finishing: 55/19/35. Last start, in the Tour of Norway, he looked to be putting more kms into his legs in a race most suited for sprinters.
He has showed signs of being a more mature rider in terms of his style of riding by being more attacking in critical situations, but he has also matured in his approach, where he is talking more about balancing his training and fitness and aiming for good results in the targeted races, of which this race is one, as he looks to test himself and build form for the TdF. In the last two seasons he has used the Tour de Suisse as his build-up for the Tour, both times finishing on the podium, so riding here is a little different, however this all fits with TFR's professional approach to his Tour aspirations and he will be out to impress with a strong performance.
Opened at 14/1 but I backed him when he drifted out to 24/1 -- now is 27/1 with b365, and makes strong appeal on an E/W basis at that price. No surprise to see him figure in the finish. Has strong claims. Consider closely.
Chris Froome His fortunes in the Tour have had a strong basis in this race for the past two years -- for instance when he won here he won the Tour in 2013, and last year in 2014 when he crashed here he crashed in the Tour -- so a strong performance is expected from him, especially since SKY have a strong association with this race, and as MC points out they hold a significant advantage in the TTT. Moreover, Froome appears motivated and is in good shape. I've backed him to pay for Mollema. Should be thereabouts. May pay to follow.
Good luck to all, SP
* Bauke Mollema Signed with TFR at the end of last season as their principal climber and GT contender on a two year contract. Is approaching his prime as a 28yo late-starting rider, and is relishing the pressure of being the team's leader. Came out i