The Tour de France looms on the horizon, and those riders planning to race are putting the final touches on their form – or going into last-minute panic mode, final exam cram-style. The Critérium Dauphiné has long been a favorite preparation race serving both purposes rather well.
It’s a favorite of the Tour’s GC contenders as it usually features stages that, if not identical to key stages from the Tour, will at least feature many of the same climbs; habitual Tour winners like Indurain, Armstrong, and Clentador have traditionally used this race as their preferred method of final preparation; riders seeking additional form will take the beating taken from a week of suffering and have just enough time to recover prior to the Tour. And, of course, riders who have aspirations in July may also find they are a few kilos heavy yet and may indulge in some ultra-lean Spanish beef in order to get to fighting weight.
It’s also a dangerous gamble: ride too hard at the Critérium and you could fire off the Guns of Navarone and enter the Tour in a state of fatigue, as Pharmy did in 2003. A delicate balance, this.
The challenge in predicting the results of a preparation race such as this is that the favorites for the Tour are (hopefully) peaking in one month, not during this event. But they’ll be good – maybe good enough to win. But probably not. Combine that with that the notion that a rider with little hope in July may be looking for glory and will be in peak form, leading to an unexpected result – a review of last year’s race with Jani Brajkovic is a great example of this case.
With that we kick off into the first minor-stage VSP for the Critérium Dauphiné. Being a week-long stage race, the points on offer are 7 for first, 5 for second, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth, with the usual allotment of bonus points for getting the rider right but the place wrong. Also, there are no rest days, so no rest day swaps, but we will have our usual approach for riders who drop out. Piti Principle applies as always. Also review the guide, being careful to note that the rules have changes a bit this year, and we may not have completely updated the guide yet, so if there’s a question, ask.
Best of luck to all.
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@Ron
Try this link in the am. Sometimes you have to try more than one of them but I have been getting the Eurosport fed just fine. Hope it helps.
All these photos are incredible! Thanks Alpin.
Cyclops - sorry 'bout that. Looking forward to the article.
Some of those racers are funny lookin' dudes, and some look more like ladies than dudes. Maybe all that riding is upping their estrogen levels.
Hey delphinati!
here are the first set of pictures .
Criterium du Dauphiné
Etapé 3 : Grenoble - Grenoble.
All pictures are unframed and unedited et that can surely be seen...
I battled with my my gear and the light all day...
For a start, random choices of mine.
very very very discrete Wiggins.
Tyler's Legz
White power
Black power
Under the Police eye
Concentrating...
Decided
Basso looking tired at the start
Rolling the wheel
Liquigas as$
Mangez des Oranges!
Doctor's Suitcase
Imported from Belgium
Gold Necklace
sign "O" the times
lots of it in the bank
I see dimples everywhere
slice cut ?
Shiv out ?
stealth
liberated
spinning
best photo of mine
A.Merckx
...and he pulled a Dogma from the Sky...
LOUD pink
his name evocates macadamia nuts
The Big Blue
ZZZZzzzzz
Lots of stress in this stage...
various trainers
Vanity plates...of course.
Souvenirs...
...
Thanks, pakrat! I'll give it a shot.
And between Pedale & Alpin I don't even need to go to cyclingnews or velonews to see race photos; Velominati is quickly becoming the only cycling site I need to check out. That's awesomeness!
As you can clearly see pictures sharpness is not as crisp as yesterday, i choose a bad apple and didn't verify...grrrrr
Nevermind ! It lets some place for imagination!
here are some other more or less blurry shots.
Jens is in Switzerland, no ?
Choose your vehicle
choice done.
French Look
Pump it up
What do you need ?
do not want to stain my tires
Lower class model
contrasting tints
F&ckin" H"ll !
Frank ?
help!
)
At home, these pics aren' THAT lefty...
Corrected. My bad.
@Alpin
Wow, you've outdone yourself. Of your many fantastic photos, I think either this
or
is my favorite.
Incredibly well done.
@Alpin
Once again, many thanks for you excellent inside look at the TT scene. How about Tyler's guns! What a man.
one last set and i'm gone for the day.
Swiss design is great
waiting in the dark
less is more
the sound of these things...
velocity
Discs, Five spokes, traditionnal ones ?
music before the race
Pinarello Pina's
"Aerospace carbon"
Campa rear disc wheel
non-Campa front wheel
dimples from Zipp, no?
Good looking Corima MCC
Hub in close-up
Special Rotor TT Ring
Corima disc with red Der'
Time TT equipped in front with 3 spokes from Corima
little color in a B&W world
his upsidedown partner
42.5km= little thirst
Swoosh! as they say at Nike HQ
integrated design
aero pedals
Ciao a te Ragazzi!
Mechs have always one or more screwdriver in hand
Pizza time at Garmin-Cervelo
Cometes and Cosmic ...
How many bikes can you see in this photo ?
Tyler's one
Sport Utility Vehicle
Trek's TTs with a low front rim
that's the very first time i Think a Lapierre bike can be quite easy on the eye
his one for example is perfectly bland and vulgar
a warrior in his shiny armor
seen at S-Works Bus
one bike , twelve wheels
Shiv from Gustov
another curious stem from Look
Katusha's rides
W h e e l s
finding the v-locus
searching his rythm
setting the pace
rear view
where do i put the cartridges ?
one turn and it's ok
Lapierre's FDJ bikes
angular shapes
training camp
Shiv in white
the last trend in TT
red honey
think blue
Curious mix between SIDIs, Canyon & Mavic ...
italian Lampre design
all prepared in his skinsuit
Dimpled helmet
It screams : Go !
Cofidis riders checking their glasses before race
Cervelo P4 with his integrated Camelbak
Tyler Farrar at the start of the TT
reeeeally decontracted at the start ...
Ag2r Kuota...
some yoga while the TT conformity Check
PRO wheel for Orbea
hop hop hop
replacement rides ?
stylish
nice color scheme
nice bike / nice kit
...
that's all, folks !