Rodriguez to skip Criterium du Dauphiné

Image 1 of 3

Joaquim Rodriguez will skip the Critérium du Dauphiné, saying that he needs to rest up after the Giro d'Italia. The Katusha rider, who finished second overall in the Giro, will now turn his focus to the Vuelta a España.

He had planned to ride the Critérium, but those plans have now been cancelled. “After the physical stress and the pressure to which I have been subjected in the Giro, it is best to recover well enough to cope with the second half of the season with renewed vigor, with the Vuelta a España as the main objective,” he said on his personal website. “Now I need to rest and enjoy some time with my family.”

The Spaniard will hold a press conference in his hometown of Parets de Valles on Tuesday evening, with a reception at City Hall to follow.