Critérium du Dauphiné 2017 Route stage 1: Saint Étienne – Saint Étienne

Sunday, 4 June 2017 - At 170,5 kilometres, the 1st stage in the Critérium du Dauphiné travels from Saint Étienne back to Saint Étienne. The race is played out on a tough course that's teeming with hills. Eight to be accurate, while the last one is crested with 6.5 kilometres remaining.

That last climb, Côte de Rochetailléé, is 3.4 kilometres with an average gradient of 5.4%. It is on the menu three times as it features in the closing circuit in Saint-Étienne. The distance of the lap is 15 kilometres, while it is ridden three times.

The riders hit the local round in Saint-Étienne at kilometre 119. Before this the course takes in five more ascents - Col Pilon, Côte de la Roche, Côte de Périgneux, Côte de Saint-Romain-les-Atheux and Côte de Tarentaise. The climb with the longest name is toughest. The Côte de Saint-Romain-les-Atheux is 6.8 kilometres, while it is averaging 5.2%. After the top at kilometre 94.5 a rolling section continues to the Tarentaise.

The Saint-Étienne circuit is rather hilly as it not only takes in the Rochetailléé but a non-categorised climb as well.

Three years ago Saint-Etienne hosted the Tour de France with a stage that boiled down to a bunch sprint - Alexander Kristoff outperformed Peter Sagan and Arnaud Démare.

The first three riders on the line take 10, 6 and 4 seconds.

Results/race report 1st stage 2017 Critérium du Dauphiné.