The route of the 2024 Critérium du Dauphiné route has been unveiled and here’s a nearer have a look at the course together with a troublesome “new” climb. The race will happen from Sunday 2 June to Sunday 8 June.
Stage 1
100% Saint-Pourçain because the stage begins and end within the city of Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule and has a ending loop. A flurry of early climbs means some will goal the breakaway hoping to take the mountains jersey and if just for day it’s a prize and a photograph alternative. A possible dash end though be aware there’s 2,000m of vertical achieve and what number of sprinters will begin given the phases to come back?
Stage 2
A touch round Romain Bardet’s coaching roads. The Col de Saint-Thomas halfway is more durable than the stats counsel with a remaining kilometre at 12% nevertheless it’s hardly going to show the race the other way up. A summit end? The Col de la Loge ticks numerous bins because it’s at a mountain move, it’s over 1,000m excessive, the higher half is flanked by pine timber, there’s a ski station on the prime and but the lacking ingredient is a troublesome gradient. It’s a scenic highway all the best way up from the Loire valley flooring however by no means that steep and whereas the profile doesn’t present it there are some flat sections after the Croix de Ladret and it flattens out once more proper on the end. It makes for a tough remaining 30km that no heavyset sprinter can address nevertheless it’s for robust riders who can surf slipstreams and bully the massive ring.
Stage 3
One other stage, one other day with loads of vertical achieve, one other tough climb mid-stage earlier than an enormous ring drag to the road within the shadow of Mont d’Alambre, an extinct volcano cone. It’s a breakaway day given the uphill begin and the next day’s time trial means the GC contenders will attempt to journey in economic system mode.
Stage 4
A little bit of déjà-vu as this 34km stage borrows roads from final yr’s Dauphiné. Speaking of 2023, that yr’s version had a tough time trial stage, this one right here is on extra light rolling roads because it crosses the Loire – France’s longest river – earlier than a drag as much as the end.
Stage 5
200km and possibly a dash stage however there’s 2,800m of vertical achieve and even within the Vuelta that’d be rather a lot for the sprinters and the lumpy terrain may provide attackers an opportunity.
Stage 6
The primary Alpine stage and within the yard of the Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale workforce’s HQ. There’s a touch throughout to the Col du Granier, climbed “sideways” as in west to east quite than the standard strategy within the north-south axis of the Chartreuse trilogy. Then comes the Collet d’Allevard, a ski station summit end that means a daily, engineered highway nevertheless it’s steeper than regular for the French Alps and selective. It was final utilized in 2011 when Joaquim “Purito” Rodriguez received.
Stage 7
The scenic Col des Saisies out of Albertville means large climbing from the beginning and the primary half of the stage hardly presents any relaxation with the Aravis and Colombière climbs. After the excessive velocity descent to Cluses comes the “Côte d’Arâches” which, pending the map publication, seems like tahe scenic cliff climbing highway on the best way to the Flaine ski resort earlier than taking a balcony highway throughout. The end is a “new” climb, the city of Samoëns is healthier know as the beginning of the dreaded Joux-Airplane however as a substitute of going north, right here it’s south and up a troublesome highway to a ski station; this climb is commonly referred to as the Plateau des Saix and it’s a troublesome climb, boards abound with adjectives like “horrible”, “wild”, “infernal” and a few locals say it’s more durable than the Joux-Airplane.
Stage 8
A stage that begins with a loop by way of steep Forclaz de Montmin earlier than a extra light center part that might have had some extra small climbs to make lifer more durable for a chasing peloton earlier than the Salève climb that’s extra irregular and selective than it seems. Then it’s throughout to the ultimate climb as much as the Plateau de Glières. The plateau has featured in latest Excursions de France as a gravel highway and climbed from one other course, that is the Col du Collet tackled from the south-west – the identical as 2013 when Julian Alaphilippe received the ultimate stage of the Tour de l’Avenir – and it’s steep with loads of 10-12% slopes earlier than a descent which flattens the official gradient quantity after which a pointy rise to the end on gravel, tailored for Primož Roglič.
The Verdict
It’s once more very a lot a tour of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes area quite than the Dauphiné however we’re used to that now. After the compulsory Auvergne phases, the 34km time trial is attention-grabbing given Remco Evenepoel is using, that is the stage for him and if he does win, units up a take a look at for his Soudal-Quicksteppers within the mountains as rivals like Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič shall be solely to glad to see their groups dismantle the Belgian squad as they goal for victory.
There’s a “new” climb within the Plateau des Saix and it’s reputed to be very robust, it may very well be decisive and it’s attention-grabbing for the novelty but in addition to see if it options within the Tour de France within the coming years. Typically the place the Dauphiné goes the Tour follows however what’s hanging is how the race visits some very small locations, not simply alongside the best way however as the beginning and end cities like Celles-sur-Durolle, inhabitants 1,647 or Neulise inhabitants 1,324 and that’s simply two examples. It does have a begin in Alberville and passes via Vienne however that is fairly a discreet race, it’d be a pity if the cities inside this area aren’t jostling to host the race.
The put up Critérium du Dauphiné Route first appeared on The Inside Ring.
