The 2023 Critérium du Dauphiné, which takes place from June 4-11, presents riders with a gradual construct from the rolling terrain of the Puy-de-Dôme division at Chambon-sur-Lac to the best end within the race’s historical past on the Col de la Croix-de-Fer over eight levels.
Sunday, June 4, 2023: Stage 1 – Chambon-sur-Lac to Chambon-sur-Lac, 157.7 km
The opening stage takes place round Chambon-sur-Lac, a commune that sits within the shadow of the sprawling Parc naturel régional des Volcans d’Auvergne – an space of 80 dormant volcanoes – considered one of which, the Puy-de-Dôme, provides the division its title.
The peloton must wait to deal with any main climbs, nevertheless, as they skirt the Tremendous-Besse ski station and deal with as an alternative 5 class 4 climbs within the foothills. After one giant lap, the stage finishes with three loops of a circuit that features the Côte du Rocher de l’Aigle, the final ascent crested with round 10km to go, earlier than a descent to the end and uphill kick to the road.
Monday, June 5, 2023: Stage 2 – Brassac-les-Mines to La Chaise-Dieu, 167.3 km
Stage 2 of the 2023 Criterium du Dauphine takes place on June 5 with a 167.3km route out of Brassac-les-Mines in Puy-de-Dôme and into Haute-Loire with a ending circuit in La Chaise-Dieu.
It is a lumpy route with 4 categorized climbs, however is front-loaded with two class 3 ascents, the Col de la Toutée (2.2 km at 6%) and Col des Fourches (2.7 km at 6.5%). The 2 end laps embrace the class 4 Côte des Guêtes (1 km at 8%) with one other climb inside 10km to go. It is one other stage for the puncheurs.
Tuesday, June 6: Stage 3 – Monistrol-sur-Loire to Le Coteau, 191.3 km
The sprinters could have their day if all goes to plan on stage 3 with the Critérium du Dauphiné leaving the Massif Central and heading towards flatter floor exterior Lyon. The stage is just not with out its difficulties, nevertheless. Riders should deal with the class 2 Côte de Bellevue-la-Montagne (4.9 km at 5.8%) simply 36km into the stage, however aside from that, it ought to be clean crusing on this longest stage of the race.
The class 4 Côte de Neulise (7.5 km at 3%) inside 20km to go will hardly get in the way in which of the sprinters and can in all probability solely spell the tip of the day’s early breakaway.
Wednesday, June 7: Stage 4 – Cours to Belmont-de-la-Loire, 31.1 km particular person time trial
The battle for the general victory within the 2023 Critérium du Dauphiné begins in earnest with the 31.1km particular person time trial on stage 4. The route is a bit harder than the same take a look at in 2022, which Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) gained by two seconds over Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma).
The gap is sufficient for some contenders to place a minute or extra into the pure climbers and final yr the same stage in La Bâtie d’Urfé was the place Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) set the stage for his general victory.
Thursday, June 8: Stage 5 – Cormoranche-sur-Saône to Salins-les-Bains, 191.1 km
The Critérium du Dauphiné will get extra sophisticated on stage 5 because the peloton heads into the Jura division and the climbs get tougher and steeper. The flat, first two hours will assist riders get well from the time trial however they will want to search out their climbing legs by the ultimate 40 kilometres.
There are two class 3 climbs, the Côte de Château-Chalon (4.4 km at 4.5%) at km 97.7 and Côte d’Ivory (2.3km at 5.9%) at km 154.6. They will prime the beastly Côte de Thésy (3.6km at 8.8%) inside 15km to go, so it can undoubtedly be a climber who wins this stage.
Friday, June 9: Stage 6 – Nantua to Crest-Voland, 168.2 km
The construct of depth ramps up one other notch on stage 6 of the Dauphiné, with the primary summit end of the week. The stage from Nantua to Crest-Voland heads into the Alps with one class 2 climb coming within the first half of the day. One class 2 and two class 3 ascents cap off the stage contained in the final 20km.
The Côte de Droisy (5.4km at 7%) comes 100km earlier than the Col des Aravis (7.8km at 5.7%) so the combat to get into the breakaway will come both earlier than or on the Droisy.
The Aravais will soften the legs, however the descent following it can permit some riders to chase again on. The Côte de Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe (3.2km at 6.1%) comes immediately earlier than the ultimate climb to the end, the Côte de Crest-Voland (2.3km at 6.6%) with out a lot descending to interrupt it up.
Saturday, June 10: Stage 7 – Porte-de-Savoie to Col de la Croix de Fer, 147.7 km
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The queen stage of the 2023 Critérium du Dauphiné comes on the penultimate stage with the best end within the occasion’s historical past (by three metres) approaching the Col de la Croix de Fer.
At simply 147.7km in size and the primary of two hors categorie climbs coming on the midpoint, there might be assaults from the general contenders early within the stage. The riders hit the Col de la Madeleine (25.1km at 6.2%) at kilometre 75.5, then have a protracted descent and chase by way of the valley to the Col du Mollard (18.5km at 5.8%) at km 127.9.
From there, it is lower than 20km to the summit of the Col de la Croix de Fer with little in the way in which of descents for restoration. The ultimate climb is 13.1km and averages 6.2%, however that belies the punishing sections of double-digit grades together with the ultimate kilometre.
Riders crested the Croix de Fer in 2022 but it surely was a mid-stage climb. It has been featured 21 instances within the Tour de France and 5 different instances within the Dauphiné, however that is the primary time the climb has been used as a stage end.
Sunday, June 11: Stage 8, Le Pont-de-Claix to La Bastille – Grenoble Alpes Métropole, 152.8 km
In contrast to the Tour de France, the ultimate stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné isn’t any cakewalk. This 152.8km stage has six categorised climbs together with the ultimate kick to the Bastille of Grenoble.
The climbs come all through the stage, with two class 2 climbs – the Côte de Pinet (6.3km at 6.1%) and Col des Mouilles (3.9km at 7%) within the first 50km and 4 climbs within the final 50km. The hors categorie Col du Granier (9.6km at 8.6%), class 2 Col du Cucheron (7.7km at 6.2%) and Col de Porte (7.4km at 6.8%) will batter the riders earlier than they face the killer climb to the Fort de la Bastille. It is 1,800 metres lengthy however a ridiculous 14.2% common and a piece of twenty-two% grades.
A punishing finale that may actually produce a worthy winner.
