The stage offers four categorised cols, yet they are all 4th category. Moreover, except for one, they are in the first half of the race. The lasts one, Côte de Prémeyzel, is crested with over 50 kilometres left to race. The climb is 900 metres at 5%, a pro-rider flies up these slopes in less than 2 minutes. Even if the hurdle would have been in the route with 10 kilometres remaining, nothing would have stood in the way of a bunch sprint.
Last year, Nacer Bouhannu took both bunch sprints in the Critérium du Dauphiné.
There are no intermediate sprints, but at the finish time bonuses at 10, 6 and 4 seconds lay waiting for the first three riders.
Race results stage 1, 2016 Critérium du Dauphiné.
Critérium du Dauphiné 2016 stage 1: Route maps, height profiles, etc
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