Criterium du Dauphine 2017: Preview

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A smiling final podium(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Plenty of riders with plenty to prove. That seems to be the theme of this year's Critérium du Dauphiné, which will pit pretty much every Tour de France GC hopeful against one another in an all-important dress rehearsal for the big event.

Froome normally wins in the opening portion of the season – he had won stage races before the Dauphiné in each of his campaigns since becoming Team Sky leader in 2013 – but this year his best result has been 6th at the Herald Sun Tour. Ambushed at the Volta a Catalunya à la Vuelta 2015, he then rode to a pedestrian 18th at the Tour de Romandie, a display that might not have been cause for much concern had Richie Porte (BMC Racing) not stormed to overall victory. Such is Froome's calibre, the absence of results hasn't directly translated into genuine concerns over his Tour de France chances, but there's no getting away from the fact that the Dauphiné is a mightily important week for him. With a flat 23.5km time trial on the course, along with some serious mountains on the final three days, it's a route that suits him down to the ground.

If Alberto Contador has something to prove it is that he still has his winning touch. The Spaniard has raced impressively and aggressively in his debut season with Trek-Segafredo but has finished runner-up in four of the five races he's entered so far - three of those behind Alejandro Valverde. Contador might secretly curse his compatriot's presence on the start line on Sunday, and the Movistar man, who is, nominally at least, working for Nairo Quintana at the Tour, will be a threat for both stages and the overall as he resumes what has been a phenomenal season so far.

Then you have the injury question marks. Esteban Chaves hasn't raced since February having suffered with a knee injury, and the doubts over his Tour preparations were severe enough for Orica-Scott to parachute in Simon Yates for July to ride as co-leader. Both will be at the Dauphiné, which should give an indication as to how things might play out in July. Fabio Aru also suffered a knee injury, forcing him to skip the Giro d'Italia, and Astana have leadership issues of their own as the Italian moves through the gears en route to the Tour, with the promise made to Jakub Fuglsang looking increasingly flaky.

An intense start to the race with a punchy stage in Saint-Etienne. There are eight categorised climbs on the menu but the race will burst into life on the first passage of the finish line as the riders embark on three local laps that head out to the Côte de Rochetaillée and back. 3.4km at 5.3 per cent, it will sap the sprinters' legs if not take them out of the picture completely, while the opportunists could thrive on a stage that will be as hard to control as it is to predict.

As important as a recon ahead of the Tour de France as it is for the outcome of the Dauphiné, stage 6 is a dress rehearsal of the finale of stage 9 of the Tour de France, from Nantua to Chambéry. The final 50km are pretty much identical, taking the riders over the gruelling Mont du Chat, an 8.7km ascent with an average gradient of over 10 per cent, and down towards Lac du Bourget, though the finale here cuts 7km of flat from the Tour stage.

The most eye-catching stage of the race and certainly the pride of the organisers when they unveiled the route. Alpe d'Huez will make just its second appearance in the race, hosting the summit finish for the penultimate stage. But this isn't Alpe d'Huez as we know it. The riders will make their way up the Col de Sarenne, still a hors-categorie ascent, before a plateau takes them round to join the last four kilometres of the traditional Alpe d'Huez ascent.

More famous Tour de France climbs await on the final day, where four major climbs are packed into a potentially explosive 115km of racing. The Col de Saisies, Col des Aravis, and Col de la Colombière are all preludes to the hors-categorie summit finish at the Plateau de Solaison, an 11.3km ascent with an average gradient of 9.2 per cent. Even if there are sizeable gaps on GC, this finale has the potential to turn the race on its head.

Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.