Critérium du Dauphiné 2016 Route stage 2: Crêches-sur-Saône - Chalmazel/Jeansagnière

Tuesday, June 7, 2016 – Stage 2 in the Critérium du Dauphiné brings the first uphill arrival in the 8-day stage race. At 167.5 kilometres, the course leads from Crêches-sur-Saône to Chalmazel/Jeansagnière for a 21.5 kilometres closing climb in two stages.

In 2014, stage 5 in Paris-Nice left from Crêches-sur-Saône. The race finished in Rive de Gier and was won by Carlos Betancur, who went on to take the overall victory.

In stage 2 of this year's Dauphiné the arrival town is located more to the west of France. Chalmazel and Jeansagnière are one commune as of January 1, 2016. The arrival place lies amidst the Parc Naturel Régional Livradois-Forez, which is in the Massif Central, an elevated region with mountains and plateaus in the middle of the south of France.

After leaving Crêches-sur-Saône the riders race over rolling roads. The closing climb comes in two stages and totals 21.5 kilometres. First the riders climb up Côte de Saint-Georges-en-Couzan - 7,5 kilometers at 5.6% -, and at the top the road rolls on for something like 5 kilometres before the irregular closing climb to the ski resort of Chalmazel kicks in. This climb comes with a 3.6% grade in 6.8 kilometres. The steepest sections (at around 6%) are at the bottom and nearthe top, while the last 500 metres are a false flat

At the finish line, time bonuses at 10, 6 and 4 seconds lay waiting first the first three riders.

Race results/race report stage 2, 2016 Critérium du Dauphiné.