The 2024 Critérium du Dauphiné presents the riders with a sluggish construct beginning for the time within the Allier division, resulting in a trio of Alpine summit finishes in a row with the Collet d’Allevard, Samoëns 1600 for the primary time, and the Plateau des Glières.
The race, which takes place from June 2-9, will problem with 32,987m of elevation acquire with 28 categorized climbs over 1,203 kilometres.
As well as, the race will function a 34.4km time trial on stage 4, and two phases earmarked for sprinters.
“We tried to take a progressive course to realize energy every day with out creating massive gaps, aside from the time. And the ultimate weekend we could have a present. From Friday even when there may be solely the ultimate climb, the stage will damage your legs. I can already hear the purists saying that there are not any massive passes, however the locals say that the arrival at Samoëns 1600 is even more durable than Joux Airplane. And to have performed it by automotive, it’s spectacular,” Gilles Maignan, Critérium du Dauphiné director, advised Le Dauphiné Libéré.
The opening stage in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule is one for the sprinters. The 174.8km route, not fully flat with over 2000m of elevation acquire, will begin with three categorized climbs earlier than tackling two loops of the ending circuit round Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule.
Riders on high of their recreation will get their first likelihood to deal some harm to their rivals within the 142km stage 2 within the gruelling ending 25km sequence main as much as the Col de la Loge.
Beginning in Gannat, the riders will face 2570m of elevation acquire as they tackle the Côte de Fagot (5.3km at 5.4%) and the Col Saint-Thomas (4.5km at 6.6%) within the first 70 kilometres earlier than rolling terrain brings them to the ascents of Côte de Saint-Georges-en-Couzan (7km at 5.8%) and the Col de la Croix Ladret (3.1km at 6.1%) resulting in the ultimate push up Col de la Loge.
Stage 3: Celles-sur-Durolle – Les Estables, 181.2km
The leg-breaking stage to Les Estables, on the rugged terrain of the Puy-de-Dôme and Haute-Loire departments, is the perfect state of affairs for a powerful breakaway to shake up the pecking order. Beginning in Celles-sur-Durolle, stage 3 will problem with 5 categorized climbs together with the class 2 ascent of Côte de Saint-Victor-sur-Arlanc (3.1 km at 9.4%) mid-way within the 181.2km day.
Based on ASO, energy riders will probably be drooling on the prospect of the 34.4km time trial with 445m of elevation round Neulise which has the potential to open even wider gaps within the normal classification.
Final yr, Jonas Vingegaard put time on his rival within the 31.1km TT with 445m of elevation acquire, with solely a handful of riders getting inside a minute of the Dane.
The longest stage, at 200.2km lengthy, stage 5 is the ultimate likelihood for non-climbers to assert a win, and may most likely end with a dash end, with a 1-km residence straight in Saint-Priest, within the suburbs of Lyon. Although the route consists of 4 categorized climbs, the final one, the Côte de Bel-Air (1.8km at 5.1%) will happen with 20km to go.
Stage 6: Hauterives – Le Collet d’Allevard, 173.2km
Setting out from Hauterives, stage 6 will pit the sphere towards the Col du Granier (8.9km at 5.4%), 45km from the end and, after that, will finish with the 11.1 km slog at a mean gradient of 8.1% up the Collet d’Allevard. The 173.2km stage will ship 3206 metres of elevation acquire.
Profile of Samoëns 1600(Picture credit score: ASO)
The Alpine trilogy will proceed on Saturday with Act 2 which packs an excellent larger punch with an altitude acquire of 4,268m over a distance of 145.5 km. The Queen Stage needs to be pivotal within the battle for the general victory.
The normal Col des Saisies (9.4 km at 6.6%), Col des Aravis (6.9 km at 6.9%) and Col de la Colombière (11.6km at 5.8%) will soften up the peloton within the first 85km of racing earlier than the eye-popping Côte d’Arâches (6.1km à 7.1%). Lastly, the stage ends with the premiere of HC-ascent of Samoëns 1600 (10 km à 9.3%).
Profile of Plateau des Glières(Picture credit score: ASO)
Act 3 will probably be rife with alternatives for others to usurp the crown on the eleventh hour. If the sphere is feeling riotous in the beginning in Thônes, a harmful transfer can emerge on the Col de la Forclaz de Montmin (7.1 km at 7.3%), push the tempo on Col des Esserieux (4.2km at 5.4%) and consolidate on the climb to Mont Salève (12.1 km at 6.8%) within the second a part of the stage. And eventually put the chief between a rock and a tough place on the Plateau des Glières (9.4km at 7.1%).
It was on this facet of the ascent that Julian Alaphilippe rocketed to the win within the ultimate stage of the 2013 Tour de l’Avenir.
