Velominati Super Prestige: Critérium du Dauphiné

I'll have mine medium rare with extra clenbuterol, please. Photo via Cycling Weekly

The Tour de France looms on the horizon, and those riders planning to race are putting the final touches on their form – or going into last-minute panic mode, final exam cram-style. The Critérium Dauphiné has long been a favorite preparation race serving both purposes rather well.

It’s a favorite of the Tour’s GC contenders as it usually features stages that, if not identical to key stages from the Tour, will at least feature many of the same climbs; habitual Tour winners like Indurain, Armstrong, and Clentador have traditionally used this race as their preferred method of final preparation; riders seeking additional form will take the beating taken from a week of suffering and have just enough time to recover prior to the Tour. And, of course, riders who have aspirations in July may also find they are a few kilos heavy yet and may indulge in some ultra-lean Spanish beef in order to get to fighting weight.

It’s also a dangerous gamble: ride too hard at the Critérium and you could fire off the Guns of Navarone and enter the Tour in a state of fatigue, as Pharmy did in 2003. A delicate balance, this.

The challenge in predicting the results of a preparation race such as this is that the favorites for the Tour are (hopefully) peaking in one month, not during this event. But they’ll be good – maybe good enough to win. But probably not. Combine that with that the notion that a rider with little hope in July may be looking for glory and will be in peak form, leading to an unexpected result – a review of last year’s race with Jani Brajkovic is a great example of this case.

With that we kick off into the first minor-stage VSP for the Critérium Dauphiné. Being a week-long stage race, the points on offer are 7 for first, 5 for second, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth, with the usual allotment of bonus points for getting the rider right but the place wrong. Also, there are no rest days, so no rest day swaps, but we will have our usual approach for riders who drop out. Piti Principle applies as always. Also review the guide, being careful to note that the rules have changes a bit this year, and we may not have completely updated the guide yet, so if there’s a question, ask.

Best of luck to all.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

frank says:

Jun 6 2011 at 2:22 pm

@heath

excessive matching is a rule violation. it shows a complete lack of aesthetic restraint. i'm not sure which rule being 'matchy-matchy' violates"”and if it isn't one officially, it shall be soon enough.

If it hasn't been pointed out yet, it falls under Rule 15. The should both be wearing standard team shorts.

i agree, as a country's champion, he should stand out from the peloton in kit design. this makes the aesthetic concern of knowing when to say when, of not going overboard, even more important. he must look good, right? but, he mustn't look silly.

That's what the jersey is for; it should be enough, yes?
frank says:

Jun 6 2011 at 2:25 pm

@Cyclops
Magnificent machine, but your bibs are violating the Goldilocks Principle.
Alpin says:

Jun 6 2011 at 2:28 pm

Hey Delphinati !!!

Exclusive Videos from the DauphinÃ© !

With some luck and effort and some V ( I rode 80km to shoot this..)))
...and in the spirit of community members contribution...
I have the pleasure to give you some video insights of this Criterium du DauphinÃ© 2011...

These videos have been shot this afternoon in a hurry "in race" 20 km before the Finish Line and at the hotel with Cervelo-Garmin, Saur Soja Sun, Omega-Pharma-Lotto and Francaise des Jeux (FDJ) ... as the riders and team members were quite exhausted and the mechanics and DSs really on nerves i had little time and opportunities to shoot these videos ( with and old Iphone...)

Nevertheless, here are some exclusive footage for you Velominati...

the 3 Ã©chappÃ©s and the the entire peloton and team cars 15 km before the finish line
: All in 3 minutes : no sponsors caravan this year ! (~90 Mo video)

is it the new "meilleur grimpeur" with the Red Dots Jersey..
as far as i know -now- it's not even official... the pink one is a (good) local kid...

Well, shit happens, innit? CorimAAAaaargh!

At the FDJ stand, Dura Ace c35 wheels and stuff

An FDJ Lapierre vigorously washed

A Cervelo more gently treated

Garmin_Cervelo at home

A Canyon being prepared
frank says:

Jun 6 2011 at 2:35 pm

@all

Our friend Alpin has a front-row seat at the DauphinÃ©; check some videos above and also stand by for live updates from him as well as start-area photos tomorrow morning. Merci Alpin!
Pedale.Forchetta says:

Jun 6 2011 at 2:39 pm

@Cyclops
LOOKs beautiful!
Pedale.Forchetta says:

Jun 6 2011 at 2:41 pm

I really like my new badge too!
Pedale.Forchetta says:

Jun 6 2011 at 2:51 pm

Alpin,
The last video the race.mov 6.6.11 it's just perfect.
A very well told story.
Alpin says:

Jun 6 2011 at 2:59 pm

@frank
@Pedale.Forchetta

Thanks

@all

If you encounter some problems with the _almost_live_ DauphinÃ© Videos...

they are all here :

Dauphine
pakrat says:

Jun 6 2011 at 3:25 pm

+1 sgt
mcsqueak says:

Jun 6 2011 at 3:30 pm

@frank

LG bibs are very nice but they do run long in the legs for some reason. I have a pair and they are roughly the same length as the pair Cyclops has. Perfect during the colder times when you have kneewarmers on, but a little long for the summer. Would it kill them to make 'em 2" shorter?