Critérium du Dauphiné (st. 1) / Gran Piemonte
El líder de Movistar Team inició su última carrera como campeón de España en ruta rozando las bonificaciones y dejando sensaciones favorables antes del primer final de montaña, mañana jueves, en el Col de Porte.
/ Today’s route
It’s one of the most demanding routes for the Critérium du Dauphiné in recent years and stage one, theoretically the least demanding one, wasn’t easy at all either. No less than 219km with six categorized climbs, including four in the last 60km. The Col de la Gachet (Cat-4; 3.3km, 4.6%) was crested just a kilometer and a half from an uphill finish in Saint-Christo-en-Jarez.
/ Weather report
A calm day, with some clouds covering the sky, 20 to 25ºC all over the course and imperceptible winds – until the last climb, when some annoying drops of rain made for a more difficult finish.
/ Keys to the race
- Five riders went into the early breakaway after 10km of racing: Van Moer (LTS), Slagter (BVC), Quinten Hermans (CWG), Schär (CCC) and Bonifazio (TDE). 5’30” was the maximum gap at the top of the day’s main climb, the Col du Béal (Cat-2), after which the group dramatically shrank to only two members: Bonifazio dropped out because of back pain, while Hermans and Van Moer crashed after the feed zone.
- Deceuninck, Jumbo and Ineos led the bunch as Schär went through Saint-Christo-en-Jarez’s finish (-35km) as only remaining escapee with a slim margin over two ‘counters’: one by Quentin Pacher (BVC), then another duo with Soren Kragh (SUN) and last ‘survivor’ Rémi Cavagna (DQT).
- The Movistar Team kept its main GC references inside the peloton, with Enric Mas and Alejandro Valverde, the latter well supported by Nelson Oliveira until the last 2km. After that, a tough battle for the position heading into the final slope saw Valverde coming home in a fine 4th place, only behind Wout van Aert (TJV), Daryl Impey (MTS) and Egan Bernal (INS). Enric finished at the back of that group.
/ Quotes
/ Upcoming goals
The Dauphiné continues with Thursday’s stage two, a very short route of 135km from Vienne to the top of the Col de Porte (HC), nearly 18km at 6.2% average. The first big test for the GC contenders will be preceded by three other climbs: Viriville (Cat-3), Roybon (Cat-4) and Maillet (Cat-1; 6.2km at 8%).
/ Also…
Cover picture (c): Photo Gomez Sport / BettiniPhoto