Roar Guru
Stage 6 of the 2013 Criterium du Dauphine sees the peloton covering 143km from La Lechere-les-Bains to Grenoble in a stage that is far from flat, and will favour the opportunists after yesterday’s stage made for the GC contenders. Live updates will begin from 9.00pm AEST.
Stage 5 of the Criterium du Dauphine saw the leader’s jersey pass from the shoulders of Australia’s Rohan Dennis to race favourite Chris Froome, who put together a calculating and dominant performance on the day’s final climb to Valmorel.
In contrast with that Hors Categorie summit finish, the final 45km of today’s stage are without categorized climb.
Don’t expect the genuine GC contenders to do too much early; it’s looks to be too far for any one of them to stay away from the top of the day’s hard climbs to the finish in Grenoble, though many opportunists should be eyeing today off as a big chance to take a breakaway stage victory.
The day’s intermediate sprint point comes only 22km into the stage, in the middle of a flat and relatively unremarkable opening 60km.
Don’t be surprised if a large group of escapees forms thereafter, though, and is allowed to build a significant margin before the hills start. There are four categorized climbs in the day’s racing:
– The Cat 4 Cote d’Arvillard (2.2km @ 5.3%), summiting 60km in, and moving straight into;
– The Cat 1 Col du Barioz (7.1km @ 7.3%), 80km in;
– The Cat 2 Col des Ayes (3.8km @ 8.1%), starting immediately after a short descent, and finally;
– The Cat 4 Col des Mouilles (2.0km @ 6.1%), topping out 45km from the stage finish
So it’s probably not a stage expected to shake up the General Classification – led by Chris Froome, with teammate Richie Porte in second – but it will definitely still be a tester for the legs, and anyone who beats the peloton over the climbs will have earned their place on the road.
Surviving the next 45km alone though? That’s another question…
Join us as we pick up the action from 9.00pm AEST.