Criterium du Dauphine 2018 Spoiler nee chat

kleinstroker
kleinstroker Posts: 2,133
edited June 2018 in Pro race
Thought someone should start this, as it begins this Sunday 3rd June. I've said this before probably, but one of my favourite races, like a mini Le Tour, usually some great stages to watch.

Dauphine2018.png

Prologue

DauphinePrologue.png



Stage 1

Dauphine01.png



Stage 2

Dauphine02.png



Stage 3

Dauphine03.png



stage 4

Dauphine04.png



Stage 5

Dauphine05.png



stage 6

Dauphine06.png



stage 7

Dauphine07.png
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Comments

  • kleinstroker
    kleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Movistar will be without Landa, Quintana & Valverde as they ready themselves for the TDF.
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    Mouth watering at the <150km stages, especially the last two. Fireworks incoming

    This is my favourite stage race of the year
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Am I being really dumb but the route map does not seem to match the stage profiles.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Ah ha this is last year's route. I thought it looked familiar.

    Dauphine-map.jpg

    This is this years...

    maxresdefault.jpg
    Correlation is not causation.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    I'll not be around from next, Monday, so I've put the race on record link. Can't miss the Tour warm up, even though this year it's a full month from the Grand Depart.

    I will supply the info for all the key climbs.
    Stage 4:-

    stage-4-col-du-mont-noir.png
    stage-4-lans-en-vercors.jpg

    Stage 5:-

    stage-5-valmorel.png

    Stage 6:-

    stage-6-la-rosiere.png

    Stage 7:-
    stage-7-saint-gervais-mont-blanc.png

    Walk-to-the-Varan-hut-view-of-the-Mont-Blanc-range_default_format.jpg
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    Time for a not so bold prediction. Whoever is in yellow after stage 5 is going to need some serious help from their team, or exceptional tactical nous, in order to keep it over the last two stages
  • kleinstroker
    kleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Above The Cows wrote:
    Am I being really dumb but the route map does not seem to match the stage profiles.

    There's always one! It was a test I tell you!
  • kleinstroker
    kleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Can anybody be explain why the prologue is so ludicrously short. What is the point exactly?
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    kleinstroker wrote:
    Can anybody be explain why the prologue is so ludicrously short. What is the point exactly?

    Cos it's a prologue. It's just a way to get the race underway. How long do you think it should be?

    I think 6-8km is perfect distance for a prologue, enough for a few seconds gap but not significant in the grand scheme of things.
  • kleinstroker
    kleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    If gaps are just a few seconds then it's just not very interesting. 6km uphill would be something but pan flat, it just seems a wasted opportunity
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    As far as I'm aware the Roselend is still not open (rocks) and the weather could be a lot of fun next week. I'll be over there.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    35km TT? For shame.
    _
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    How long should it be? Even if it were 10km it would put a max of probably 10s between the main contenders

    It is short enough that yellow will likely change hands, potentially in the next two stages, if not both - that's interesting!
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    50-60km!

    I must confess I do miss the longer TTs.

    If you're gonna waste a day on it, and for the good of a race you ought to, why not have it long enough that there's a bit more ebb and flow, and it feels like a serious effort?
    _
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    Deleted
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    kleinstroker wrote:
    Can anybody be explain why the prologue is so ludicrously short. What is the point exactly?
    Without looking it up, I think it might have something to do with UCI stage race regulations and the Dauphine being restricted to seven stages excluding prologues - so it's a case of prologue (by definition under 8km) or no stage at all.

    This may be absolute cowpoo though.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    50-60km!

    I must confess I do miss the longer TTs.

    If you're gonna waste a day on it, and for the good of a race you ought to, why not have it long enough that there's a bit more ebb and flow, and it feels like a serious effort?

    My response was actually to Kleinstroker about the prologue

    The TT should be interesting as none of the climbers in the race have much of a TT heritage
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    35km TT? For shame.
    Yeah, probably one for the time triallists (Jungels, Thomas etc) despite the three big MTFs at the end
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    ShutupJens wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    35km TT? For shame.

    I'm not sure if that's such a bad idea. Can't see anyone strong enough to gain a huge amount of time out of the team leaders (unless GT is leading Sky but surely that falls to Bernal?)

    He is, but Bernal isn't on the official startlist, even though he is down to ride on PCS.

    https://www.criterium-du-dauphine.fr/en/riders

    Bilbo rides on! :)

    Soler should do a solid ITT, too.

    The extra week gap between ASO races has sure put a dent in the field quality. It's really quite poo.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    The Col du Mont Noir looks like an interesting climb (there appear to be a lot of them in Vercors tbh), but I'm guessing they're not going at it from this end?

    8077521849_719fa216b8_b.jpg
  • kleinstroker
    kleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Just had a look at start list and it's not the usual suspects.
    Other than Nibali, can't see who could be up for GC.
    The other Yates maybe? Bardet, Kwia?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    kleinstroker wrote:
    Just had a look at start list and it's not the usual suspects.
    Other than Nibali, can't see who could be up for GC.
    The other Yates maybe? Bardet, Kwia?

    Thomas surely? He seems to be Sky’s leader.

    Am I the only one who finds this race a bit of an anti-climax these days? It used to be much more of a battle of those who were targeting the Tour and a bit of a barometer to their form.
  • kleinstroker
    kleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Pross wrote:
    kleinstroker wrote:
    Just had a look at start list and it's not the usual suspects.
    Other than Nibali, can't see who could be up for GC.
    The other Yates maybe? Bardet, Kwia?

    Thomas surely? He seems to be Sky’s leader.

    Am I the only one who finds this race a bit of an anti-climax these days? It used to be much more of a battle of those who were targeting the Tour and a bit of a barometer to their form.

    Injury and crash free maybe. Yet to see what he can really do I suppose
  • Richmond Racer 2
    Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    Pross wrote:
    kleinstroker wrote:
    Just had a look at start list and it's not the usual suspects.
    Other than Nibali, can't see who could be up for GC.
    The other Yates maybe? Bardet, Kwia?

    Thomas surely? He seems to be Sky’s leader.

    Am I the only one who finds this race a bit of an anti-climax these days? It used to be much more of a battle of those who were targeting the Tour and a bit of a barometer to their form.


    I used to enjoy it more too. Off the boil these days
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,972
    kleinstroker wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    kleinstroker wrote:
    Just had a look at start list and it's not the usual suspects.
    Other than Nibali, can't see who could be up for GC.
    The other Yates maybe? Bardet, Kwia?

    Thomas surely? He seems to be Sky’s leader.

    Am I the only one who finds this race a bit of an anti-climax these days? It used to be much more of a battle of those who were targeting the Tour and a bit of a barometer to their form.

    Injury and crash free maybe. Yet to see what he can really do I suppose

    Kwia in with a shout surely?
    Or at least of stage victories if not the whole thing......?
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
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    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Pross wrote:
    kleinstroker wrote:
    Just had a look at start list and it's not the usual suspects.
    Other than Nibali, can't see who could be up for GC.
    The other Yates maybe? Bardet, Kwia?

    Thomas surely? He seems to be Sky’s leader.

    Am I the only one who finds this race a bit of an anti-climax these days? It used to be much more of a battle of those who were targeting the Tour and a bit of a barometer to their form.

    Starting a full five weeks before the Tour doesn't help.
    All the talk about an over stretched calendar, yet in six prime weeks between Giro and Tour, there are but a handful of top races.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,695
    Be rather fun to see the French meltdown if Bardet wins...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    I only really started following the Dauphine when it came to ITV which is relatively recently compared to some of you I'm sure - although it can be useful to try and make predictions on who's going to go well at the tour, for me it's just a week of mint racing and a chance for ASO to trial some pretty radical ideas when it comes to course design. Also it's such a breath of fresh air from the giro's 200km+ stages, although this year has been better than most
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    No Bernal in the Sky so a couple of you need to nip over to the PTP thread

    Thomas, Kwiatkowski, Castroviejo, G-Hart, Moscon, Rowe, van Baarle
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    RichN95 wrote:
    No Bernal in the Sky so a couple of you need to nip over to the PTP thread

    Thomas, Kwiatkowski, Castroviejo, G-Hart, Moscon, Rowe, van Baarle

    Thanks. So, he's more or less likely to be at the Tour now?
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/

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