News: Criterium du Dauphine 2013

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It’s a race that Bradley Wiggins has won twice, 2011 & 2012, and the route for the Critérium du Dauphiné 2013 was unveiled in Lyon this morning with plenty of mountains to challenge the 2013 contenders

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The route for the Critérium du Dauphiné 2013 was unveiled in Lyon this morning and there’s a particularly mountainous challenge that will start for the first time in Switzerland.

The worlds best in cycling will pay a visit to the Alpe d’Huez during the stage finishing in Superdévoluy that is likely to be decisive. The week of racing on the Dauphiné will again play its role of revealing the ambitions and performances of the main players expected on Le Tour de France later this year.

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However, traditions have been shaken up somewhat for the route of the 65th edition. For the first time in its history, the start of the Critérium du Dauphiné will take place in Switzerland. The race will be making a return to the country, having already been there for a stage finish in Geneva in 2002.

The race will not just be innovating in geographical terms, because on 2nd June, the first day of racing will not be devoted to a prologue, but to a first stage that will already set the ultra-mountainous tone of the edition, with a 121 kilometre loop in the Abondance mounts and valleys, starting from Champéry.

On this hilly terrain, the sprinters may perhaps have a chance to shine in Oyonnax and/or Tarare, whilst the all-rounders could take pride of place on the time-trial at the Parc des Oiseaux. However, the major confrontations are expected to take place between the climbers, who will be hitting the heights as from the finish at the resort of Valmorel, for the 5th stage. Two days later, the mountain specialists will tackle the 21 bends of the road leading up to l’Alpe d’Huez, which they will cross to reach the Col de Sarenne pass (at an altitude of 1,966 m), before becoming the first riders in a competitive event to try and tame the dizzying and tricky decent into Le Freney d’Oisans.

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It is a unique opportunity to prepare for the 18th stage of the Tour de France, but it will also be necessary to keep some energy in reserve for the final challenge of the day: shortly after climbing over the Col du Noyer pass, the final outcome should start to take shape at Superdévoluy. The places on the podium may be won on this day, but attacks could still be fruitful on the climbs on the final stage.

As the peloton tackles the road to the Col de Vars pass and the last forty kilometres of the race, there will only be one flat portion left before the finish of the race in the resort of Risoul.

The stages on the programme:
РSunday 2nd June, stage 1: Champ̩ry-Champ̩ry, 121 km
РMonday 3rd June, stage 2: Ch̢tel РOyonnax, 183 km
РTuesday 4th June, stage 3: Amb̩rieu-en-Bugey РTarare, 164 km
– Wednesday 5th June, stage 4: Villars-les-Dombes – Parc des Oiseaux, 32.5 km (individual time-trial).
РThursday 6thJune, stage 5: Gr̩sy-sur-Aix РValmorel, 139 km
РFriday 7th June, stage 6: La L̩ch̬re РGrenoble, 141.5 km
РSaturday 8th June, stage 7: Le Pont-de-Claix РSuperd̩voluy, 184 km
– Sunday 9th June, stage 8: Sisteron -Risoul, 152 km

 

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