Velominati Super Prestige: Critérium du Dauphiné
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
Nice call on the prologue, Frank. For the sakes of my picks, let’s hope you’re wrong about the rest of the race!
@Steampunk
I agree. Not to turn it into a doping debate but I would not give Grimpito a free pass at all. These days I even question Cuddles at times. Difficult to trust anyone.
“The legs are turning over very well, I had some good sensations,” Vinokourov said. “It’s very good.”
There’s my boy.
If only more Dutch guys would heed the call to arms more often, I’d be way higher up on the leaderboard. (That, and if I was willing to pick riders I hate in the inevitable place they will wind up in.)
Great stage today.
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@Buck Rogers
Yeah, it’s tough to say – it’s deeply engrained and at all levels of the sport – all the way up to the UCI. You’ve got old riders who mentor the young ones, they retire and become management, the young ones take on their own youngsters…the circle continues.
Some riders seem to have a more clean reputation than others, and it’s possible some of the one-day racers are truly clean, but the Grand Tour riders? It’s not that they have to dope, but they do if they’re going to average 40+kph for 2500kms. Which they don’t need to.
Who’s clean? Evans has a cleaner reputation than most, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t doping. Balls to dope? It’s all managed by the team. Easy peasie, lemon squeazie. Those are just vitamins, you see.
I’m not giving anyone a free pass, I just haven’t seen Andy or Cadel ride in a way that shows either have used a “program.” At least effectively. I guess I was throwing that out there in hoping one of my fellow esteemed Velominati would be able to provide an example of either of these two putting in an apparent rocket fueled exhibition.
We are getting close to the main course of the racing season, I am feeling a little “blue” in that it is looking as if AC will roll to an easy victory. How sweet would a Cuddles victory in the TDF be?
Back to the proper topic… anyone have a link to a US video feed for the Dauphiné?
@Marko
I’m with you on those two guys!
@pakrat
For his lack of results this year, at least the World Champion is in the news by deriding the slow process in hearing COTHOdor’s case. He’s right, now Steak-n-Shake will ride the Tour and that’s all everyone will talk about. “When is the hearing?”, “Is he guilty?”, “Will his victory(s) be expunged?” blah blah blah.
@frank
Jeebus, he looks more like a speedskater with that ass.
@Pedale.Forchetta
Cheers. I would love it if Cuddles could just edge out COTHOdor in the Tour. I can just see him scrapping all the way to Paris, lacking in team support, kicking at his bike out of the saddle on climbs, putting in a badass ride or two when he needs to, and edging out Clenny by less than a minute. Cadel, doing it his way.
Well, hell…I didn’t realize this started yesterday. I guess if I missed the original entry I’m out of the whole thing because there aren’t any rest days? Damnit.
Oli, I’m going to have to blame you on this one! I calmed down too much and didn’t even realize the race was starting this weekend. Guess I should have paid more attention, since I saw this post on Friday.
I’m still suffering Giro hangover. There goes the shop apron…
I’m going to have to head out and ride this pain & embarrassment out:(
I love how low and straight Evans’ bars are. Dude looks good on a TT bike, that’s for sure.
wiggo seems happy about with cameltoe riding into 3rd today.
@heath
Yikes, if ever there was a good demonstration for why Rule #15 exists. The helmet and aero shoe covers are the tits though.
@heath
Cameltoe is for the womens. For the mens it’s called Mooseknuckle. Get it right.
@frank
Rule #15 applies to skin suits? At least the sun is shining…
“OMG WTF wiggo, don’t you know our skinsuits are available in black?”
@frank
That’s the first time anyone has ever said Cadel looks good.
I’m sure he’d be happy to get it right if Wiggam would get his genitalia right. If it looked like mooseknuckle, heath would call it mooseknuckle. Looks like he’s packing camel toe, though.
@Blah
Wiggo, mangina, wha..?
Wait, I’m in second? I have the most luck choosing…
OK, this never happens… opening day, and I’m in the lead….. want to see what happens to the moniker thingy next to my name when I post. It won’t last.
Rode the Dragon Ride today, big 200km sportive in Wales over 5 quite large climbs… the Bwlch (twice), the Rhigos, and two others… awesome day… Geraint Thomas’ training ground.
Come on Wiggo… this bodes well for TdF (and just by typing that, I’ve completely buggered his chances)
well, that was disappointing.
Blah :
That’s what I’m seeing. The entertainment this guy provides is endless. Keep it up, Wiggy! Uh, up metaphorically, anyway.
@roadslave
:) Yeah, you only get little icons by your name when it is all over. Bummer ,eh? Great job on the 200k ride, though! I have not yet ridden 200k in one day. I’ve come close a few times but that magic mark is still in my future.
The so-called cycling “fans” who smear all the riders with the same doping brush are killing the sport as much as the dopers. No matter who is doping they’ve never all been doping, no matter how much you’d like your pessimistic and cynical worldview to prevail. How about a bit of respect for the clean riders?
frank :
Uhhhhhh, don’t we try to look like pros? If we are picking and chosing what we try to emulate, than who is doing the picking and chosing and based on what? It’s not a tiny teensy weensy possibility that they are ON TO SOMETHING RE. skinsuits?
Jerseys used to be made of wool. They weren’t particularly “race fit,” if you look at old photos, which of course you do. Why aren’t you advocating wearing wool jerseys, since that’s what used to be done? I’ll TELL you why you aren’t. Because we’ve got something BETTER now.
We’ve learned and moved on.
Whaddya think, frank? Give it a shot. Thinking out of your current box. Not all or any skinsuits are appropriate/look good, just like not all or any jerseys/bibs/shorts are appropriate/look good.
>>> I <<< don't want to be able to see what some guy ate for lunch, either. Skinsuits don't have to be super thin or any more revealing than "race fit" jersey and bib/shorts. You get rid of annoying waist elastic (shorts) or a lot of extra fabric (bibs, and jersey overlapping both shorts and bibs); and you automatically get a "race fit," non-baggy "top." They are super comfortable and significantly cooler than even "race fit" jerseys of similar fabric. If it fits you correctly. Which is no different than required of jersey and bib/shorts. (OK, I've admittedly not actually carried out rigorous scientific testing of the cooling efficiency of skinsuit vs. other. In fact that's just my own humble opinion based on personal experience. But I've been road riding longer than you have, I believe (that's right, I've checked you out ;-) ), and ridden/raced in an awful lot of jerseys/shorts/bibs/skinsuits in a hot and humid climate. So I might not be entirely statistically correct about the "significant" difference; testing might reveal a difference that was there but not statistically significant. Maybe in part it's some kind of placebo effect. But so what. If you think it works, it's the same thing as it working. The mind is a powerful thing, eh?)
I am totally with you on all of the above. UGH. The long short sleeves? WTF, over? As bad as or worse than Tall Socks…
…the peek-a-boo see through jersey is an appalling and offensive travesty.
Have a cookie.
@Buck Rogers, @Steampunk, @pakrat,
frank :
That’s what I said. Exactly. But with a lotta extra words. Posts 95 and 97.
I’m going to change my name to @frank. Jeez.
@Marcus
I know nothing.
I LOVE cycling and have followed it faithfully since I started racing in the late ’80’s. I have stayed with it through all the “fun” and still love it. There are definitely clean riders but this last stuff, esp the reports of Big George admitting, has shaken my trust level. I’ll still follow cycling closely and continue loving it, but I will not blindly trust anyone in the sport. Cynical yes, but I still love the sport and continue to hope that it gets cleaner.
@Buck Rogers
Also, any idea why is my last post is all italicised?
Seconded
Balls to dope? Are you people delusional?
It doesn’t take balls to dope – it takes balls to be clean.
And add to that: busted dopers who make cry baby confessions and admissions indicate the reverse is closer to the truth.
Oli – right on. One must not assume all PROS are doped up.
Uhh, I don’t like seeing man nipples either. Call me crazy. I don’t foresee buying the Leopard kit anytime soon. I’d rather look good & take the wind drag penalty of an awesomer, less mangerie-like jersey.
@harminator
Who said anything about balls?
zzzzzzzzzzz
@Frank Thanks on the log-in. I’m registered now.
@Karolinka
Oh, good call, don’t think I want to see Wiggo “keep it up” in a skinsuit.
@Buck Rogers
@frank
Um, I wasn’t going to say anything in case I was the only one seeing it – the now universal italicization of posts…
especially, um, since it seemed to start in my post (#128). And I did attempt to use the ITALIC button to italicize a word. Just ONE word.
I try to keep my superheroine powers in check, but sometimes I get distracted; one time Lake Tahoe filled up with parentheses when I took a sip of some particularly ethereal Turkish Coffee.
I think we need to call the Cleaner on this one. Send up the BatMofrankRonSiteDeveloper signal!!!
Didn’t Michael Barry once say something to the effect that he would never ride the TdF because he insisted on riding clean? Pretty damning indictment indeed…
(Yes: I know he rode it last year.)
@il ciclista medio, @Ron,
@Steampunk, @Pedale.Forchetta, @frank, @Marko, @pakrat…
@Buck Rogers:
What he ^ said.
@Oli,
How can you really say those of us here, your fellow Velominati/ae, who are simply and non-confrontationally sharing our views… cynicism, opinion, disappointment, whatever you want to call it… are “wanting our cynical and pessimistic worldview to prevail”? Worldview? That’s a pretty wide one-brush, don’t you think?
And wanting it to prevail????? Nothing could be further from the truth! I’d LOVE to find out that there are gazillions of clean riders at the top level of competition in the European peloton (or in the USA, for that matter). I don’t at all assume riders LIKE the doping, though I’m sure THEIR opinions are as varied as ours.
All each of us can do is interpret the information our senses take in to the best of our ability. I think I’m a fairly open minded person (of course, don’t we all); my playing devils advocate and trying to examine all facets of an issue can cause me problems in life, in fact! (loooooong decision making, lol).
The conclusions – I hesitate to even say “conclusions;” who knows what will happen in the future that may re-shape my thoughts; nothing is static and good lord the older I get the less I know – ok, so: the semi-conclusions I’ve personally come to are not snap judgements made overnight; I didn’t start out thinking this way about the extent of doping, who’s doing it, the reasons, etc. And along the way of coming to semi-conclusions, I was unsure about many things regarding the issue, and still am.
However, after taking in information over the years, the way my grey matter interprets it is as described ad nauseum in previous posts.
It doesn’t make me think less of cycling, or really of anybody involved in doping; my feeling is that everyone is caught up in a vicious cycle.
Sure, there are bound to be true cheaters who will do anything to get ahead. But I think one reason doping is so widespread at the highest levels of competition is not because people WANT to “cheat;” it’s because it is unfair to have to play on a horribly un-level playing field when the pressure to succeed is so great.
I don’t think any of us are doing a dis-service to our sport, the Professionals (and I mean that in the truest sense of the word) in it on every level, or to other fans by, despite our love, saying:
“HEY, THE EMPEROR DUDE IS BUTT NEKKID, damn that sucks.”
And now can we all please shut up about this for five minutes? :) Bring on the nuddie [sic.] girls!
Jeeeeeeezis, I hadn’t even thought that far… chrystallmitey let’s not bring that image up again, eh? ptewwwie. blecchh. ;-P
Oh dear. I’ve been moderated again.
…and where the heck is JIPM???
NIPPLES SUCK!
@Oli
Agree with the sentiment but my 6 week old is thinking the opposite though I reckon!
A few days late, but I just can’t resist playing along. (I know they don’t count, but oh well. Haven’t seen any of the racing, aside from the results listed here.)
1. Vinokourov
2. Evans
3. Basso
4. Voeckler
5. Wiggins
The TdF is going to be here before we know it. Spring Classics to the Giro and then suddenly the Tour is around the corner. The year moves fast when your life is based around cycling and watching pro races!
@Oli
Couldn’t agree more, good reminder to lay off the cynic pills a bit from time to time.
Problem is, with all the lying, how do we know who to praise for being clean?
Gilbert? Maybe. Faboo? Aside from the motor, maybe. Cuddles? His performances (to Pakrat’s point) don’t seem like doping performances, but that doesn’t mean he’s not doping, he’s still hanging with some guys who probably are. Jens? The Brothers Grimpeur? Basso? I sure hope so, but I’m skeptical.
Certainly not Bertie. Not Gadret. Not Veino.
At the end of the day, I just like the riders who show some fight and make the races exciting.
@frank
+1 and bang on Frank with the Booming Big Tree for the prologue
@Ron
Too true Ron.
I find myself planning out my “racing calendar” like a pro would, making sure I have time to recover between the key races I’m targeting for the season.
@Karolinka
I can’t figure out if it’s the frequency or length of your posts, but either way, Matt Mullenweg seems to be skeptical that you’re not a spambot. Don’t know enough about spamming algorithms to know which of the two it is.
Maybe if you try to break your posts to 1000 word essays, you’ll have better luck!
Evans and Veino in the lead group, The Big Oak Tree has been dropped.