Critérium du Dauphiné 2017 (04/06 > 11/06/2017)

[Nedrider]

Re:

Also I wouldn't put too much stock in the ITT in how that will translate to Tour form. I fully expect Porte to crush it and gain a minute on Froome. This will have no bearing on how things will go in the Tour.

The psychological factor for Porte to go to the tour with a win against Froome will be moral boost.

 

[Nedrider]

If Froome is gunning for Tour/Vuelta double then this is for Porte to lose.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Are you guys seriously suggesting Contador will lose time on purpose on the flat stages?

Why not?

If he's not a threat then he wouldn't be able to test himself against his rivals in the mountains, or at least that's what I think it might be. But if he wants to compete in the mountains and in the time trial, he may as well just target GC.

Exactly, it would be non-sense if he just strolled around, rode a good TT and tried himself out on one stage. Aint gonna happen, Im surprised some people are seriously believing that will be the case. I guess its expectation management.

Given Contador's age, I reckon that a slower build up to the TDF could be a good idea. A different era, but guys like Kloden and Ullrich used to do a pretty lazy June, and then be all good in July. For Contador I think it would be a case of softer pedalling, rather than strictly soft. Lose 2 minutes on stage 1, have a go at the ITT, lose ten minutes on stage 6 (for then it will be a bigger surprise when he attacks on the same climb in July ), try to win stage 7, and see if he can follow the wheels on stage 8. Of course such a plan would completely blow up in his face if he still cannot drop Froome and Porte on stage 7....

But if Alberto does anything wrong, then it is racing for GC too much. Why not save some matches now for July? He has already had enough good GC racing this season as a lead up.

 

[Robert5091]

If LRP is true to form, he'll manage to lose 5 minutes somehow on the first three stages. Froome to hone descending and sprinting skills. Hopefully AC stays upright all week.

 

[dacooley]

Sky roaster doesn't indicate froome is willing to win the dauphine so badly this year, given a really demanding course. Porte, Contador and Valverde have quite crappy teams as well. hopefully it will make the race wide open.

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

Sky roaster doesn't indicate froome is willing to win the dauphine so badly this year, given a really demanding course. Porte, Contador and Valverde have quite crappy teams as well. hopefully it will make the race wide open.

Actually BMC have a pretty solid squad around Porte in this race

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

That's not what he meant. Tell me, in what way is "making the race in the mountains" different from going for GC in terms of energy and recovery afterwards?
He said it himself, he doesn't want to go too far into the red too often. So, he might not go to deep on the climbs. Then he will target a stage to test himself, i.e. go into the red. However, it would be smart to drop time early on so a. he doesn't get tempted to ride for GC anyway and b. he gets some freedom to take a stage.

Contador may drop if his form is not quite there, but we'll have to see. I could see him losing time in stage 1 if he does, in fact, come in a bit undercooked and still can't ride in the bunch more comfortably. But he may not have a choice if that is indeed the case. He was nearly gapped in one of the early hilly CdD stages last year, IIRC. It may have been the first road stage after his prologue win, but I'm not sure.

He just doesn't have it in him to just drop from the Froome group when he doesn't have to, IMO. Pointless attacks can take the pressure off of him, it seems. He even put in a big attack in the 2016 TDF stage he DNF'd in. A stage he had no intention of finishing. This time, if his form is there, he may attack to not feel pressured into staying with Dawg and Richie for too long.

 

[carolina]

Even if he looses time, I don't see Froome/Sky giving him freedom to go for a stage.

 

[LeSensei]

How do you guys reckon Froome will make it to the Dauphine? Sharp or lil' chubby?

 

[RedheadDane]

This is perfect!
Live coverage starts at 15:00, which is just about the time I'll get home from "work". Meaning that I won't miss any part of the live coverage!!!
I'm happy about that, can you tell?

 

[GraftPunk]

Anyone know the best channel/site to watch from the states?

 

[rick james]

Re:

How do you guys reckon Froome will make it to the Dauphine? Sharp or lil' chubby?

he's just come down off a big camp up the volcano, it could go either way for him

 

[DFA123]

I think there could be too many unpredictable stages here for a rider like Porte to really dominate - plus the descent of Mont Chat must be a bit of a worry for him. I think he would like a more controlled parcours with just a couple of nice, straight forward, MTFs to gain a lot of time. Same goes for Froome. Bardet has a big advantage with his knowledge of local roads and descending capabilities; will be interesting to see if he has the form to back it up.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

Sky roaster doesn't indicate froome is willing to win the dauphine so badly this year, given a really demanding course. Porte, Contador and Valverde have quite crappy teams as well. hopefully it will make the race wide open.

Actually BMC have a pretty solid squad around Porte in this race

Agree 100% - It's a squad that provided the necessary support in the mountains, but more importantly gives him strong support on the flat - It's the flat where Porte needs support.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Porte will win this warm up bike race.

 

[BullsFan22]

I back Porte to win this and also to absolutely crush the TDF. This Summer will be his coming out party.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Sky roaster doesn't indicate froome is willing to win the dauphine so badly this year, given a really demanding course. Porte, Contador and Valverde have quite crappy teams as well. hopefully it will make the race wide open.

Actually BMC have a pretty solid squad around Porte in this race

Agree 100% - It's a squad that provided the necessary support in the mountains, but more importantly gives him strong support on the flat - It's the flat where Porte needs support.

I think (hope) BMC will have GVA, Dennis, Schar & Oss for the Tour and for the flat/rolling stages...and none are here with Porte ...it is correct he needs support on the descents and flat

 

[HelloDolly]

I looked on ES in UK and it is not live from Tuesday to Friday

Anyone know where one can get a stream

 

[staubsauger]

It's on Eurosport 2 only, because of Rolland Garros!

 

[bob.a.feet]

Re:

I looked on ES in UK and it is not live from Tuesday to Friday

Anyone know where one can get a stream

ITV4 has a pretty good highlight show if that's any good to you.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Anyone know the best channel/site to watch from the states?

I've been bookmarked this stream below. It's not on any cyclingfans.com or steephill.tv list. But it works fine.
Click on "CYCLING" on the main nav. I watch about any cycling live stream race.

http://www.stopstream.me/

 

[spiritualride]

Stage 1 profile makes no sense... Neither does the final climb graph

 

[Tank Engine]

Re:

Stage 1 profile makes no sense... Neither does the final climb graph

I didn't notice that. A vertical height of 10m between the bottom of the circuit and the top (a categorized climb)

And the vertical height at the entrance to the circuit (same as the finish line) doesn't match

 

[Robert5091]

Re: Re:

Stage 1 profile makes no sense... Neither does the final climb graph

I didn't notice that. A vertical height of 10m between the bottom of the circuit and the top (a categorized climb)

And the vertical height at the entrance to the circuit (same as the finish line) doesn't match

285 m height difference in the 15 km lap - according to http://www.cyclingstage.com/criterium-du-dauphine-2017/stage-1-route-cdd-2017/

 

[railxmig]

Re: Re:

I know the Dauphine is often a preview for the Tour de France, but if they use a climb like Mont du Chat for the first time since decades - why not make the reveal in the actual Tour?
Of course I'm interested in seeing what happens there, but I think it would be more special if it wasn't already included in the Dauphine.

That bothers me. Especially when there isn't much to look forward to in the Tour anyway.

Since they bought it, ASO have been busy killing off the Dauphiné, turning it from a week-long Tour tune-up to an extended recce with UCI points. When used to test out the possibility of various climbs for the Tour - the MTFs at Béal, Gueulaz, Collet d'Allevard and this year Solaison - this is not a problem, but when it is used (presumably as a means of enticing a stronger field, prompting top stars to come to the Dauphiné instead of the Tour de Suisse) as a simple visua for the Tour route, like it is with Mont du Chat here, Pra-Loup in 2015, the Lacets de Montvernier, and most egregiously the time trial in Grenoble in 2011 (I'll pass on Mont Ventoux in 2009 as everybody knows that climb anyway and I can't remember if that might have been before ASO bought the race), it's a problem. Again I think the idea is to advantage those who went to the Dauphiné as they'll have taken on the climb in a race situation before so have a better idea of dealing with it than those that didn't do the Dauphiné, but it does also take away some of the special feeling that comes with the unveiling.

This stage bothers me for a long time. If Dauphine wasn't ASO then i would love an explanation from them like: "We don't need any sheety and unnecessary 10km of flat to Chambéry, we can finish, where it's supposed to be in the first place". No, really. I despise these 10km to Chambéry like LS despises Tourmalet (which i actually kinda like, as a mid-stage leg warmer). I would not bother with it if not this stage combines into one Biche, Colombiere and Chat and this finish looks like a beachslap towards these great climbs.

I don't see Contador deliberately loosing time. In my eyes he's not this kind of guy. If i was Contador, then just loosing time like that would be a lil bit disrespectful towards the race and peloton unless there's another GC threat or the team want's to test out somebody young. But i'm a crazy person, so take my words with a grain of salt. Also it's interesting to see how times fly by. There was a period, where Sky had the urge to win everything. Froome seems to like winning Dauphine, so i guess this time will be no difference.

I also have a question. What the hell is Côte de Garçin on the stage to l'Alpe? Is it just the regular first rampe on the Lautaret road? The maps are too zoomed out, and i couldn't find a google maps route for this stage. If yes, then... what the hell is Garçin? I couldn't find any such place called like that nearby.