Critérium du Dauphiné: Stage 8 Preview

For the second time this year, I have teamed up with INRNG to provide you with daily stage previews of both Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse. The Dauphiné stage previews are written by INRNG and can be found here and at www.inrng.com while the Tour de Suisse stage previews are written by me and feature on both sites too. 

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

Stage 7 Wrap: a big break went before Alpe d’Huez. The start was fast and many riders abandoned including NetApp-Endura’s Leopold König who was sitting in ninth overall. The Alpe was climbed and the Sarenne descended without any incident.

But the move was too big and allowed several riders to sit on, for example Angel Madrazo of Movistar. A headwind proved fatal and all riders were eventually swept up. We saw several role reversals, first Alberto Contador played team mate, setting the pace on the Col du Noyer for an Aussie swap, ejecting Rohan Dennis and putting Michael Rogers on the podium although the Garmin-Sharp rider keeps his white jersey. Next was Samuel Sanchez who stole the acting crown from Thomas Voeckler with his grimacing and teeth-baring only to outsprint Jacob Fuglsang for the win but theatrics aside it was a clear win and his first of the year.

Froome was out of the saddle a lot on the final climb which is unusual. Normally he climbs with his elbows bent as if pushing a supermarket trolley and head tilted to the side like he’s wedging a phone on his shoulder but he was even more asymmetric than usual. It’s too much to say he had a bad day, he never lost a metre but perhaps he a “tell” that signals fatigue.

The Route: 155km and 3,700 vertical metres, with most of the climbing concentrated at the end. A scenic start in Sisteron with its fort sitting above the Durance river but it’s not strategic for the race. The race heads north-east into the Alps, slowly rising on roads that drag on at 2-3% for a long time, often reaching 5%. It’s tiring for those setting the pace but fine for those sheltered on the right wheel.

The Col de Vars starts with about 45km to go. As the profile shows it is very irregular, an easy start followed by a brief descent before a 15% section and then over 8% to the top. But a word of caution, the 15% label seems excessive.

The Finish: regulière as they say in French. This is a steady climb where riders can get into a rhythm and hardly need to change gears once the slope starts to bite. But regular is not easy, 13.9km means a long climb and it’s steep enough to do plenty of damage. Again the profile shows a section of 9% but it’s not that bad, instead the slope eases to the finish line in the ski resort.

The Scenario: the last chance. A breakaway could go but the likes of Movistar and Katusha seem keen to set up a win for Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez. But their attacks on the Col du Noyer seemed the wrong idea, both can sprint fast at the top of a mountain and you wonder if they’d be better off letting Team Sky do the work and then taking on the likes of Richie Porte in the final 300 metres for the stage win? Samuel Sanchez had to work for his win but could repeat the feat, he’s got better during this race.

The long final climb is idea for the bunch to reel in any moves, whether the early break or a late move. The big wide roads allow a team to pace their effort.

TV: the stage finishes early at 2.45pm. cyclingfans.com and steephill.tv have the links to video streams if you can’t get it on TV.

Weather: often run in a heatwave, this year’s edition has had cool conditions and the final stage could see sunshine and showers with cooler temperatures of 12-16°C. A light tailwind from the south-east will help speed the bunch on its way.

Déjà vu: Risoul is not the most famous name in the Alps but it’s trying to make a name for itself with cycling. It’s hosted the finish of the Tour de l’Avenir (Nairo Quintana won the race thanks to the climb) as well as a stage of the Dauphiné in 2010 when Nicolas Vogondy (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) rode away for the win, profiting from marking amongst the big names to land the win. And if the climb is becoming familiar, the Risoul summit finish will be on the route of the Tour de France in 2014.

Top 20 Overall
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 25:00:13
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:00:51
3 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:01:37
4 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha 0:01:47
5 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:49
6 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:02:04
7 Stef Clement (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:02:32
8 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:47
9 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp 0:02:48
10 Alberto Contador (Spa) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:02:56
11 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:03:21
12 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:03:45
13 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:03:49
14 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
15 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ 0:05:10
16 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) RadioShack Leopard 0:05:40
17 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 0:06:55
18 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:07:31
19 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha 0:08:39
20 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano 0:08:40

Critérium du Dauphiné: Stage 7 Preview

For the second time this year, I have teamed up with INRNG to provide you with daily stage previews of both Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse. The Dauphiné stage previews are written by INRNG and can be found here and at www.inrng.com while the Tour de Suisse stage previews are written by me and feature on both sites too. 

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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.

Stage 6 Wrap: a lot of the action happened before the TV started. When Froome was interviewed live after the stage they said “so it was a calm day for you” and he had to correct it. The race covered 50km in the first hour and the fierce pace continued over the tough Col de Barioz in part because Europcar were setting the pace, which seemed odd as they had no sprinter or lead to protect.

It was only when the TV images began that the race began to settle and a breakaway of riders started to thin over the tricky roads. By then the legs were tired and, as predicted, the roads across the plateau didn’t lend themselves to a chase. With 40km to go two minutes’ lead was enough.

As for the result: two Astana team mates in a breakaway of four and Thomas Voeckler wins? As said before the Frenchman is someone who, if he enters a revolving door behind you, comes out ahead of you. To be fair to Astana, neither Egor Silin or Kevin Seeldrayers can sprint and nor can Movistar’s José Herrada so what could they do against a rider nicknamed “Francis” by his team mates in a nod to his bar-brawling skills. By contrast back in 2004 a young Voeckler won the bunch sprint into Grenoble after Michael Rasmussen and Ivan Basso had riden away to finish over six minutes ahead.

The Route: 4,700m in just 187km make this a tough mountain stage. The start is in Pont de Claix, a suburb of Grenoble where tall chimneys of industrial chemical plants are shrunk by the giant Belledone and Chartreuse cliffs. A short section of flat road to Vizille and then up the Gorges de la Romanche, a pesky road that alternates between fast and steep ramps, there’s nowhere to hide from the start.

Alpe d’Huez shouldn’t need any introduction but it’s normally a “summit” finish only this time the race up to the Alpe… and then further up to cross the Col de Sarenne. Alpe d’Huez is so famous you probably know it has 21 hairpin bends and finishes in a big ski station. An an average of 8.6% for 12km it’s a tough climb and many could be dropped early.

The road climbs above the ski resort to tackle the little-known Col de Sarenne, albeit with some descending on the approach to the col and then 3.1km at 6.8%. Here the road is a total contrast, a road that’s part farm trail and far from the mechanical ski lifts, concrete hotels, in fact from from everything. The descent is immediate and rough, a narrow road cut into the cliff where schist-like rocks crumble onto the road. It’s steep and has some hairpins, there are fast sections but know where to tuck and where to brake matter. Riders have been visiting the road in advance of the Dauphiné and Tour and many have noticed the wild side of the Sarenne although the more you descent, the more regular it becomes.

The Col d’Ornon is next and suffers from its proximity to Alpe d’Huez, overshadowed by the reputation of the ski station access road. For this is a great climb, scenic and with plenty of variation as it twists up a narrow valley. 10.5km at 6.1% but it goes up in steps. The descent is much more gentle with wide hairpin bends. Then follows an awkward crossing of the Valbonnais, rolling terrain enclosed by mountains where a chase can be organised but at the cost of a lot of energy.

The Col du Noyer (“Walnut Tree Pass”) is hard with irregular gradients and a series of hairpin bends with stunning views of the valley below. The upper slopes are particularly steep. They’re followed a fast six kilometre descent.

The Finish: by now there will be many tired legs so even if this is a regular climb to the small ski-station of Superdévoluy it can do some damage.

The Scenario: time is running out for many to make an impression in the race. Lower down the pecking order, maybe it’s reductive but plenty of riders in the race are wondering about selection for the Tour de France so a move could convince their team and in turn boost their market value for a new contract. So we can expect fireworks on the first climb with many trying to go clear.

For more secure riders the penultimate climb of the Col du Noyer should be their launchpad. Wait too long and they’ll get run over by Team Sky’s mountain train and the steep slopes suit the pure climbers who can exploit this part to get away and perhaps gain a few places on the GC.

Richie Porte has no worries about job security and with Chris Froome already in yellow and a stage win to his name, what if Porte was “allowed” to ride away? If only it were so easy but Porte seems to have the form for this. If not then the finish could suit Dani Moreno of Katusha as well as thus far stealthy team mate Joaquim Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde. Another Spaniard is exiled Daniel Navarro of Cofidis who is climbing well. Of course there’s Alberto Contador who could play a 1-2 with in-form Michael Rogers although if the Australian is riding very well and has several stage race wins to his name, a victory salute is a rare thing.

Superstition: the French revolution was a mass movement but like this stage, Grenoble and Vizille were on the route. Grenoble saw rioting workers hurl tiles from the rooftops to royal troops and soon after Vizille saw local dignitaries gather to call for improved democracy. Perhaps it’s time for a French revolution in the Dauphiné after Thomas Voeckler ran riot yesterday?

Weather: turning cooler and cloudier with the chance of a shower at altitude. Top temperature of 19°C but closer to 12°C at altitude. cyclingfans.com and steephill.tv have the links to video streams if you can’t get it on TV.

TV: the same schedule as during the week, the stage finishes early at 2.45pm.

Top 20 Overall
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 19:33:43
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:00:52
3 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp 0:00:54
4 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:01:37
5 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha 0:01:47
6 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:49
7 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:52
8 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:01:58
9 Leopold Konig (Cze) Team NetApp-Endura 0:02:16
10 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:02:20
11 Stef Clement (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:02:32
12 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:47
13 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:02:49
14 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:03:12
15 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack Leopard 0:03:24
16 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro Team 0:03:30
17 Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack Leopard 0:03:37
18 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ 0:03:41
19 Matthew Busche (USA) RadioShack Leopard 0:03:46
20 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:04:01

Critérium du Dauphiné: Stage 6 Preview

For the second time this year, I have teamed up with INRNG to provide you with daily stage previews of both Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse. The Dauphiné stage previews are written by INRNG and can be found here and at www.inrng.com while the Tour de Suisse stage previews are written by me and feature on both sites too. 

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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 Chris Froome and his team but it could see sprinters ejected for good despite the promise of a flat finish in Grenoble.

Stage 5 Wrap: Rohan Dennis enjoyed a day in yellow but cracked on the final climb. He did everything right in terms of positioning until he cracked and was left turning a giant gear, as if his front mech was stuck.

Chris Froome did what the Dutch call the dubbelslag: a double strike, he won the stage and took the overall lead. He said his team set the pace on the final climb so he felt obliged to win. He’s wooing the media at the moment, L’Equipe praised his manners after taking many questions in post-race press conference after the time trial despite his team media handler trying to get him out of there and Froome’s French will be an asset for the millions who will watch the race on TV. Froome will be more defined by his ability to get out of the saddle and win but if the French media have taken to him, all the better for him.

Back to the racing and Alejandro Valverde had a go but Team Sky’s mountain train had the better of him, Valverde’s best trick is a sprint on a mountain stage so it was a surprise to see him go early. Behind there was trouble for Joaquin Rodriguez who punctured whilst Pierre Rolland was delayed by a crash in front of him. With the tempo being set up ahead they could not get back.

Alberto Contador bounced back with an attack that only only Chris Froome could match. The Spaniard might have lost out in the time trial and will lose this race but he’s still climbing faster than the others in the lead group bar Froome.

Radioshack’s Matthew Busche deserves a mention. He was in the day’s break and when they started the first climb he’d vanished from the TV coverage. But as ever, the TV only looks at a tiny section of the race and Busche was pacing himself and eventually rode past his earlier breakaway companions with a measured effort on the climb and held on for third place. A note of Daniel Moreno and Daniel Navarro, potential mountain stage winners for the weekend.

The Route: it’s not possible to freewheel from the start to the finish but the race could ride down the main valley for an easy ride. Instead though the race heads away from the valley floor for a series of climbs, notably the Col du Barioz, 7.1km at 7.3% but the first kilometre is 10%. It’s on tricky roads that are narrow and reminiscent of the Giro and the Col des Ayes is sharp, 3.8 km climb at 8.1 %. Then the race sticks to series of lumpy roads.

The Finish: fast and flat, the last three kilometres are a straight line all the way until the 500m to go sign when a left-hander appears.

The Scenario: sprint or breakaway? It’s a short stage meaning if a move goes, it has to be kept on a tight rein and this is not easy for teams used to controlling a move in time rather than right from the start. Normally it would be time for a breakaway to enjoy the day but OPQS probably want to set up Gianni Meersman for the win and they have prodigious horsepower in Tony Martin, Sylvain Chavanel, Michał Kwiatkowski and more. Other teams also have ambitions, Sky could set up Edvald Boasson Hagen again whilst Elia Viviani seems to be climbing well. Nacer Bouhanni has been finding the climbing hard going and there’s not much time to get back on once the climbing is done, only 40km or so.

Superstition: still stuck for a pick? Thor Hushovd has showed himself in Stage 3 and the race arrives in Grenoble, the home of Stendhal, a French writer (despite the Norwegian-sounding nom de plume). His most famous book is probably Le Rouge et le Noir so what better place for a BMC rider to win?

TV: the Col du Barioz will be climbed around 1.00pm so it’ll be too early for the TV. Once again remember the early finish for 2.45pm. cyclingfans.com and steephill.tv have the links to video streams if you can’t get it on TV.

Weather: the same as before only warmer: sunshine turning to rain with potentially a storm later on. But the early start and finish every day could be a saving grace for those who don’t like the rain. And should it rain, the temperature is forecast to rise steadily throughout the day, going from 21°C to a fine 26°C during the stage.

Critérium du Dauphiné: Stage 5 Preview

For the second time this year, I have teamed up with INRNG to provide you with daily stage previews of both Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse. The Dauphiné stage previews are written by INRNG and can be found here and at www.inrng.com while the Tour de Suisse stage previews are written by me and feature on both sites too. 

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The first mountain stage of the race, Stage 5 takes the riders across the Alps to Valmorel for a summit finish but don’t mistake this for the high mountains, this is a gentle introduction to the mountains although enough to provide a worthy winner.

If the time trial provided plenty of information on the relative form of riders, now it’s time for a ramp test.

Stage 4 wrap: Tony Martin won as expected but imagine if he not been bothered by stomach problems, his margin could have been even bigger and he’d be in the lead now. Rohan Dennis is a revelation. He’s been tipped for big things as whilst peers like Jack Bobridge and Luke Durbridge are seen as time trial specialists who can branch out into more, it’s said Dennis is the complete package and can climb well too. But don’t put too much pressure on him. Remember this time last year? Wilco Keldermann finished in fourth after an even longer time trial, the Dutch neo-pro got a great result and continues to progress but has yet to win big so hopefully Dennis can enjoy his day. Dennis was asked in a TV interview if he’d ride the Tour but he’s surely too young… although Garmin-Sharp might like him for the first week and the team time trial stage?

The stage was billed as a duel between Chris Froome and Alberto Contador but El Pistolero found his trigger was jammed, he says it’s allergies and the late and sudden spring means a high pollen count is getting to many. It’s not new but the Spaniard seemed allergic to his time trial position, shuffling on the saddle every few pedal strokes. Team Sky’s strong performance is even better news for Chris Froome. I’ve seen a few people talking up rivalry from Richie Porte but the pair train together regularly and I can’t see it. Instead it bodes well for Team Sky in the team time trial of the Tour de France although Froome’s odds for July have improved to the point where you’re wondering if they’ll be any suspense. But we’ve yet to see how he’s climbing.

Lieuwe Westra had a bad day, hopefully it’s his injuries and he’ll recover for July but he lost four minutes and Jurgen Van Den Broeck had a bad day too. Pierre Rolland lost two and half minutes, will he settle for this? His build makes him look like more than a climber but he could be limited to the mountains. Watch him this week.

The Route: the stage is short at 139km, indeed so short that the route has a loop where the race returns to the start in Grésy after 21km to add more kilometres. The Côte de Trévignin is 4.4 km climb at 6.6 %, a meaningful climb to lift the race up onto the Plateau des Bauges and crossing the route of Stage 20 of the Tour, the final mountain stage. The Col du Frêne is a tough climb… if tackled from the other side. Here it’s barely a mountain pass on this side and acts as an exit for the race to descend towards Albertville.

The Finish: there are two roads up but this takes the south-eastern way via Le Bois and the climb is 12.7km long at 7%. It’s a big wide regular road, the classic kind you find in the Alps to ferry coachloads of skiers to a resort. The route twists and turns with a series of hairpin bends near the finish, an ideal point for attacks where riders can exploit the gradient. It’s uphill all the way to the line but, despite the profile above, looks to level off a bit before the line.

The Scenario: the short distance should incite an early breakaway and the Côte de Trévignin is ideal for a move to go clear although their could be fight across the plateau to get into the day’s breakaway. The main thing to note is the final climb is 12km and after 120km, should take 30 minutes, it’s much shorter than, say, Alpe d’Huez and so leaves the result open to more riders.

Can Rohan Dennis hold on to the lead? There’s only five seconds between him and Chris Froome and we’ve yet to see how the Australian climbs but let’s note expect too much. The finish could suit him as it’s not so steep but for a neo-pro one day in the Dauphiné lead is already impressive. In some ways Sky might not want to assume the lead yet so that Garmin-Sharp can do the work every day but Chris Froome could well do with some more experience in leading a race and all that goes with it to add to his Tour de Romandie experience. Perhaps though Richie Porte could get something and we’ll how the other Sky riders are climbing. Maybe their mountain train makes an appearance?

It’s also the chance to see how others are doing. In particular what of Joaquin Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde? The finish is ideal for Valverde if he can follow the moves on the way up and deploy his finishing speed. For outside picks the finish isn’t ideal for a pure climber, it’s relatively short and fast so I’d discount the likes of Kenny Elissonde, instead look at Rein Taaramae who has been active in race already. His Cofidis team mate Daniel Navarro had a good time trial and should be climbing better.

Weather: sunshine turning to rain with potentially a storm. But the early start and finish every day could be a saving grace for those who don’t like the rain. And should it rain, the temperature is forecast to rise steadily throughout the day, going from 20°C to a fine 24°C during the day.

TV: tune in for the last hour to watch the approach to the final climb as the breakaway and bunch approach.

Top 20 Overall
1 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp 12:40:00
2 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:05
3 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:00:26
4 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:00:32
5 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:00:33
6 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:55
7 David Veilleux (Can) Team Europcar 0:01:09
8 Leopold Konig (Cze) Team NetApp-Endura 0:01:11
9 Stef Clement (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:01:14
10 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team 0:01:26
11 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:01:30
12 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:33
13 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha 0:01:40
14 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:01:41
15 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:45
16 Tony Gallopin (Fra) RadioShack Leopard 0:01:49
17 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack Leopard 0:01:52
18 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:01:56
19 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ 0:02:05
20 Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack Leopard

Critérium du Dauphiné: Stage 4 Preview

For the second time this year, I have teamed up with INRNG to provide you with daily stage previews of both Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse. The Dauphiné stage previews are written by INRNG and can be found here and at www.inrng.com while the Tour de Suisse stage previews are written by me and feature on both sites too. 

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A flat time trial might not make for good TV viewing but it’s Act 1 in the duel between Alberto Contador and Chris Froome and the first time we get to see the relative form of all the other candidates to win this race and the Tour de France.

Stage 3 Wrap: I’d picked Edvald Boasson Hagen for Stage 1 but he wasn’t in the mix nor yesterday so his return was a surprise. The fast finish saw the bunch strung out through the final corners and Boasson Hagen timed his move perfectly.

The Route: flat. Normally the vertical gain of each stage is listed by the race organisers but it’s not worth listing this time. The route runs through the Dombes, a relatively small area of land but where about one fifth of France’s lakes are concentrated and the roads are exposed on embankments above the water. It’s still scenic but technically similar to a time trial in the Netherlands. But the roads do undulate in places and knowing when to change gear will play a role although for the most part it’s all about turning a huge gear.

The Scenario: normally there’d be Tony Martin and then everyone else. The world time trial champion would be expected to blitz the course with his mix of raw power and technical proficiency. But he’s been laid low by a stomach problems and almost didn’t start Stage 3. So the result could depend on the state of Martin’s intestines rather than his legs and lungs.

Behind we’ll see how Alberto Contador and Chris Froome fare. They’ve only raced four time trials together and Froome has finished faster three times so history is on the British rider’s side. But it’ll be interesting to see how they fare as the Tour de France has a flat 33km time trial on Stage 11 which is just 35 days away so there’s not much room to improve. Froome’s visited a wind tunnel for the first time in his career in recent months. We’ll see if he’s improved his time trial position, at least in style via TV images.

Others to watch include Richie Porte who might prefer a hillier route but can win outright, Geraint Thomas too. This is also the case for their ex-team mate Michael Rogers now at Saxo-Tinkoff. Jurgen Van Den Broeck should make the top-5 like he always does. Lieuwe Westra had a big crash on Stage 2 and went for x-rays, he’s back in the race but this is bound to hurt. Sylvain Chavanel’s powerful against the watch and reigning French champion and he’s been active in the last few days.. a sign he’s ready to waste or has he tired himself out? His team mate Michał Kwiatkowski is one to watch, he’s a talent for the future and it takes time to learn how to ride against the clock. Talking of progress, Movistar’s Jonathan Castroviejo has been fast in short distance events, can he improve over 32km? Finally NetApp probably won’t win but the likes of Alexander Wetterhall and Jan Barta are strong on a flat course like this.

Weather: a pleasant day with sunshine and almost no wind. The forecast says a 5km/h breeze coming from the north-west meaning a tiny headwind on the way back.

TV: the last rider is forecast to arrive at 2.38pm Euro time with Froome and Contador finishing around 2.15pm so tune in for the last hour to watch the main names in action. cyclingfans.com and steephill.tv have the links to video streams if you can’t get it on TV.

Local rider: Fumiyuki Beppu of Orica-Greenedge might be the last name you’d pick for a local. But the Japanese rider from Chigasaki on an Australian team lives 10km from the course today and so he’s out on his training roads. In fact he was on them for Stage 3 when he got in the day’s early breakaway too. Beppu is probably the most French of all the Japanese pros, having lived in France for some time after racing as an amateur with the VC La Pomme team, even more so than Yukiya Arashiro who’s spent years with in the French amateur ranks, signed for BBox and now riders with Europcar. Many Japanese riders find the French diet a shock but Beppu is the kind of rider who eats a croissant for breakfast now and then.

Critérium du Dauphiné: Stage 2 Preview

For the second time this year, I have teamed up with INRNG to provide you with daily stage previews of both Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse. The Dauphiné stage previews are written by INRNG and can be found here and at www.inrng.com while the Tour de Suisse stage previews are written by me and feature on both sites too. 

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Listed as a flat stage by the race, Monday’s 191km routeis harder than it looks with the last 60km loaded with climbing, twisting roads and even a forest track before a downhill rush to the finish in the town of Oyonnax.

The town was once home to Bollé, the sunglasses company and is the setting for one of the few well-regarded literary works to feature a bicycle race so tacked onto the stage preview is a quick look at Oyonnax and Roger Vailland’s 325,000 francs.

Stage 1 Wrap: well done to David Veilleux. It looked like the early breakaway would be allowed to stay away for the first two climbs and collect some mountain points. It looked as if Veilleux was going solo for the mountain points and would be caught. It looked as if the time checks were wrong as Veilleux’s solo advantage held whilst Movistar and Katusha chashed. But we saw Veilleux stay away for a big win, taking the stage, the overall lead as well as the points jersey and the mountain jersey too. He only missed out on the white jersey because he’s five weeks too old for the competition.

It turned out well for Veilleux and Europcar, he was “only” signed by Europcar because Canadian clothing sponsor Louis Garneau wanted a Canadian on the team. Don’t read this the wrong way, he wasn’t signed after a short quest to find a Canadian with a bicycle and some free time. No, he was recommended but all the same the deal happened because of the Canadian clothing sponsor.

If Veilleux surprised in a good way, note several riders had a bad day. Despite claims of fitness and losing weight Thor Hushovd was dropped on the Col du Corbier but more surprisingly so was Thomas de Gendt… perhaps losing time so he can go on a breakaway? The same with Andrew Talansky, who is getting over stomach flu but couldn’t get over the final climb with the peloton although Rohan Dennis’s ride gives the team plenty of cheer.

Stage 2

• Km 74.5 – Côte de Mornex – 2.6 km climb to 4.7 % – Category 4
• Km 120.5 – Côte de Mons – 1.0 km climb to 5.5 % – Category 4
• Km 136.0 – Côte de Lancrans – 3.1 km climb to 5.2 % – Category 3
• Km 151.5 – Côte de Communal – 5.6 km climb to 6.3 % – Category 2
• Km 168.5 – Côte du Bugnon – 1.9 km climb to 6.1 % – Category 4
• Km 179.5 – Col du Sentier – 2.7 km climb to 7.6 % – Category 2

The Route: there are two parts to the stage. First up, a gradual procession away from the Alps as the race leaves behind the ski resorts. The Côte de Mornex has a steep ramp but poses no problem. But as the profile shows the race climbs up for some time after the KoM point and in time there’s a long descent.

Everything changes after 130km when the second part starts. The race crosses the Rhone river in Bellegarde. The profile shows the Côte de Lancrans which is followed more climbing, a short descent and then more climbing to the feedzone before the Côte de Communal which, with a tunnel at the top, climbs above 1000m. So plenty of vertical metres but with more to come.

Unlike the ski station roads found in the rest of the race, this is the wild terrain of the Jura mountains familiar to the Tour de l’Ain race every August. Instead of tourist coaches these are roads used by tractors and logging trucks whose granular road surfaces get ravaged by winter. Indeed the Côte du Bugnon seems to be an unclassified forestry road and could reserve a surprise. The final Col du Sentier is second category label looks odd being only 2.7km at 7.6%. But don’t fixate on the labels, instead it’s the succession of climbs, descents and twisting roads in the final 60km that define the stage, an air of Liège-Bastogne-Liège with the wooded climbs.

The Finish: a fast descent, the kind where there are blind bends meaning riders cannot see round but without too many sharp corners so ideal for the fearless or well-informed rider. It’s downhill all the way into town and flattens out for the final two kilometres although with a railway bridge to cross. There’s a U-turn with 600 metres to go, it’s not sharp but enough to slow some riders. After it is flat all the way to the line.

The Scenario: a break could go early but Europcar should chase to protect Veilleux’s lead, capping any advantage and then letting the other teams take over the duty for the final third of the stage. Although as described above the roads don’t lend themselves to a regular chase. And with 50 riders already 10 minutes down on GC, there’s a lot of riders who pose no threat to anyone.

Tony Martin’s attack yesterday wasn’t planned but it meant OPQS didn’t join in the chase to bring back Veilleux. I’m not sure if they’d have done it but the point here is that Gianni Meersman won the bunch sprint by a few lengths. The question is whether he can cope with the hilly finish into Oyonnax. You’d think yes but if not then Tom Jelte Slagter is a pick to cope with the climbs even if the finish line run is flat. Better-suited is Tony Gallopin (Radioshack), the Frenchman got squeezed in the final corner but could come good today.

But the final climbs could see the bunch strung out and the Col du Sentier is a good launchpad, it’s short but with a twisting descent most of the way to the finish line, an attack on this climb could be hard to chase. Think of an aggressive rider who can speed downhill and names like.Samuel Sanchez, Chris Le Mevel or Wout Poels come to mind but there are more. If you want an outsider, why not FDJ’s Artur Vichot or Argos-Shimano’s Warren Barguil?

TV: despite talk of live coverage on various TV channels, it’s not as easy to find as promised. So check Eurosport where you live but if not cyclingfans.com and steephill.tv will serve you an internet feed. The stage is scheduled to finish around 2.45 pm Euro time but could be earlier or later.

Weather: a pleasant day… for March. Temperatures will reach 16°C (60°F) with a some sunshine and clouds. A light breeze from the north-east means a slight tailwind for the early part of the race and then a headwind for parts of the finish but at 10-20km/h max it shouldn’t change the race much.

Oyonnax: the stage finish is famous for its plastics. For centuries local craftsmen made combs and other small objects from the hardy boxwood growing in mountains nearby. Its fine grain and high density make it ideal for carving. With mills powered by the local river Oyonnax became famous for its wooden exports and was granted a royal monopoly for the production of combs.

But one day, long before Mr Guire and The Graduate, the town adopted one word: plastics. Almost overnight the town swapped boxwood and chisels for celluloid and the injection mould. Combs, sunglasses and other plastic items were produced, today we might think it sounds cheap but these were futuristic at the time. Several famous companies started here, including eyewear company Bollé who sponsor Orica-Greenedge today. But think of plastics today and you probably think of China. Bollé got bought by a US firm and it shut the French factory in 2005, moving production to China and mirroring the fate of so many other companies and factories.

Critérium du Dauphiné: Stage 1 Preview

For the second time this year, I have teamed up with INRNG to provide you with daily stage previews of both Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse. The Dauphiné stage previews are written by INRNG and can be found here and at www.inrng.com while the Tour de Suisse stage previews are written by me and feature on both sites too.

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The Dauphiné race starts on Sunday and whilst it will take a week to discover the winner, Stage 1 doesn’t waste any time in testing a riders’s climbing legs, ascending a first category for the first twenty minutes.

But the big mountains are yet to come and this is more a test for ambitious teams to control the race and we’ll see if any of the sprinters have what it takes to get over the climbs, a skill they’ll need all week.

• Km 12.5 – Côte de Morgins – 9.2 km climb to 6 % – Category 1
• Km 76.0 – Col du Corbier – 7.6 km climb to 7.5 % – Category 1
• Km 101.5 – Pas de Morgins – 4.5 km climb to 6.7 % – Category 2
• Km 120.0 – Côte de Champéry – 6.9 km climb to 3.3 % – Category 3

The Route: the race starts in Switzerland but climbs quickly into France for an out-and-back loop. The early Côte de Morgins and Pas de Morgins later are the same thing but climbed from either side and the outward section is hard with one kilometre at 12.8%.

The Col du Corbier is a proper climb with a winding road and irregular gradients, it’s got sections around 10% and will put some in difficulty and it’s average of 7.5% is flattered by an easy start and a flat passage through the village of Le Biot. A regular descent follows and despite the uphill gradient on the profile above, there’s plenty of time for dropped riders to come back and the Pas de Morgins is easier on the return.

The Finish: uphill but only just. This is a fast finish into the ski town of Champéry and suited towards the sprinters if they are still with the bunch because despite the slope there will be a big advantage for someone sitting on the right wheel. A wide road is engineered to allow easy access for tourists into town and the bunch will have no problems, nor is there anything to use for an ambush should a breakaway arrive.

But the final moments are awkward with a right-hand bend quickly followed by a left-hand bend, all in the final 200 metres all on a road just five metres wide meaning riders will have to fight for position ahead of these bends.

The Scenario: I’m tempted to say “Boasson Hagen” and leave it at that. The Norwegian was back to winning ways after his success in the Glava Tour and he can both climb and sprint. Even more to his advantage is that he and other Sky team mates spent time in a mountain training camp in nearby Chatel last summer before the Tour de France so their on familiar roads too.

Fortunately nothing is that certain. The opening climb is a lottery, riders could use it to launch attacks and the race could split apart, the short distance of 121km promises an explosive stage.

There’s also team work, Boasson Hagen might be on duty for Team Sky and tasked with protecting Chris Froome and Richie Porte. And this is before we consider other riders. If Thor Hushovd (BMC Racing) is back at his best then he could strike whilst Gianni Meersman (OPQS), Tony Gallopin (Radioshack) and Francesco Gavazzi (Astana) could all be there. It’s less certain if Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ), Michael Matthews (Orica) and Michel Kreder (Garmin-Sharp) make it but they can cope with some climbs.

Normally it means a reduced bunch sprint. A breakaway could make it but few will want to let someone else escape and take the overall lead, too many teams will be working to set up their man for the finish. Finally there’s the outside possibility of exploiting a crosswind where a team could drive over the Col du Corbier and split the race but the weather doesn’t seem tough enough for this. So we’re back to Boasson Hagen.

TV: Live on French TV which means there should be a stream to watch and it’s on Eurosport too as well as other countries around the world including NBC in the US and SBS in Australia. Subscribe properly rather than use a pirate feed and you’ll be treated to an HD image, if not cyclingfans.com and steephill.tv will serve you an internet feed. The stage is scheduled to finish around 3.00pm Euro time.

Weather: much of France has had the worst spring in terms of sunshine since records began two centuries ago. But the weather is finally set to turn although this means mild weather for the Dauphiné all week rather than a heatwave.

Sunday’s opening stage will be cool but dry as it crosses the Abondance valley with a mild crosswind on the way out and back and temperatures peaking at 12°C (53°F).

Switzerland: why is the French race starting in Switzerland? Of course many races start outside their home country but the Dauphiné organisers ASO have inked a deal with the Portes du Soleil ski area which is in both France and Switzerland and includes resorts like Morzine and Avoriaz.

Paris-Nice: Stage 7 Preview

In lack of time, I have teamed up with INRNG to provide you with daily stage previews of both Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico. Originally, I would only have been doing stage previews for Tirreno, but thanks to this collaboration you will now be able to read about all the stages of the two World Tour races. The Paris-Nice stage previews are written by INRNG and can be found here and at www.inrng.com while all the up-coming Tirreno-Adriatico stage previews are written by me and feature on both sites too.

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A final time trial to settle the race. Can Richie Porte be beaten? As Greg Lemond said on the eve of the final stage of the 1989 Tour de France “if he has a bad day and I have a good day anything is possible”, and the American went on to beat Laurent Fignon by just eight seconds on the overall.

But that was a memorable exception. Porte is playing at home and the course is short so he should be safe. But still, who knows? What’s more certain is that the final podium places are unknown. Andrew Talansky, Lieuwe Westra, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Tejay van Garderen and more all all within reach.

The Route: the climb itself is part-technical, part obvious. There are no narrow parts, nor sharp bends but given it is just 9.6km, every second counts. The road climbs away from Nice on some steep sections and there is often a tailwind for the first two kilometres. Then the course begins to bend back towards the sea and level off before the midway section of 7% and then it continues on with spectacular views of the sea below. Each section of road matters: nowing when to change down a gear is important, knowing when to change up is even more important.

The Scenario: it’s hard to see past Richie Porte for the stage win. He won after dropping everyone else on the Montagne de Lure and is probably better against the clock then he is at climbing. He’s a local too, living in nearby Monaco and has been known to climb this road several times a day. In addition his team will know all about pacing the effort after Wiggins won last year and can measure themselves against the time checks of others if need be.

But as recounted earlier this week the mighty Eddy Merckx was so sure of winning one year that he posed for photos with the boat offered to the winner before riding the final stage… only for Raymond Poulidor to win the time trial and take the overall.

Andrew Talansky is the other obvious pick. He might be as strong as Porte, after all he felt so good he attacked three times on the Lure. Plus he’s got motivation to ride fast. He’s good at this effort too, last year he almost beat Wiggins in the uphill time trial of the Tour de Romandie. Talking of almost beating Wiggins, last year Westra almost won on the Col d’Eze so he could win in the absence of the Briton.

Van Garderen was an outside for the podium this time last year but fell back after losing over a minute to Wiggins and he’s not been the threat we’d thought he might be but he’s still sixth overall. Chavanel is in great form and did well on the Montagne de Lure, don’t be surprised if he’s amongst the fastest on the second half of the course but the early 8% gradient could be too much, plus his efforts yesterday won him the stage but also the points jersey thanks to an escape move to win the intermediate sprint. Jean-Christophe Péraud is having a good race and perpetuating Ag2r’s points-winning strategy of poaching UCI points without ever being too visible in front of the team cameras. He was third on this stage last year.

Mountains and Points: a note that Chavanel is guaranteed to stand on the podium as he’s got the points jersey competition sewed up.

The same for Johann Tschopp of IAM Cycling with the mountains jersey, giving the new Swiss team their first World Tour podium… and marginally boosting their chances of a wildcard invite for the Tour de France. Tschopp (say “chop”) is an often unknown character in the peloton but he’s a keen environmentalist, taking care to eat locally sourced foods and living as ethically as he can. He won the big stage of the Tour of Utah last year and in 2010, won the biggest mountain stage of the Giro that year, taking the prestigious Cima Coppi prize.

Weather: sunshine and showers with temperatures at no more than 14°C (57°F). Crucially the  wind will pick up in the afternoon with a breeze of 20km/h coming in from the sea in the afternoon, enough to make a noticeable tailwind, headwind and crosswind at different points on the course.

TV: 3.30 – 4.50pm Euro time on French TV and Eurosport and cyclingfans.com or steephill.tv are the go-to sites for video streams.

History: the Col d’Eze was used as a final time trial for the first time in 1969 and Eddy Merckx won. It was a clever idea to use the uphill TT right at the end but prior to this the race had often been designed by another uphill time trial along the way, for example Mont Dore above Manosque, yesterday’s start town, in 1956.

Since 1969 it has been a regular feature of the race. But the starting and finish points have often changed meaning there is no definitive course record nor an easy way to compare today’s riders with Merckx. Not that the comparison is valid, riders will be using special bikes today with all the aerodynamic advantage possible. Merckx just rode on the drops.

The route now 9.6km and last year Bradley Wiggins clocked a time of 19.12.

Standings after Stage 6