Critérium du Dauphiné 2018 Route stage 1: Valence - Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert
Monday 4 June 2018 - At 179 kilometres, the 1st stage in the Critérium du Dauphiné is a hilly race between Valence and Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert. The route takes in seven intermediate cols and the last one is crested with 4 kilometres to go.
Pro-cycling fans are treated in Valence. A prologue and also the departure of the first stage, while next July the 13th stage of the upcoming Tour de France starts in the birth place of French riders Guillaume Bonnafond and Axel Domont.
On the road to Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert it’s hard to find a section on level ground, but the riders don’t face Tourmalet-like slopes either. The toughest task looms shortly after the start. The Col de Leyrisse is a 8.5 kilometres 2nd category hill with an average gradient of 4.5%, while the other climbs are 3rd and 4th category.
Obviously, the first KOM-points of the Dauphiné are up for grabs at the Leyrisse, yet the route continues to climb for a while. It’s only after some 20 kilometres before the riders drop down. Following a short section in the valley the road goes back up gain. The Col de Désaignes and Côte Saint-Agrève are two climbs in alignment, totalling at 11 kilometres. The Désaignes is 5 kilometres at 4,5% and the Saint-Agrève 6 kilometres at 5%.
Following a rolling section of over 50 kilometres, containing the Côte de Terrière (1.6 kilometres at 6.3%), the riders tackle the Côte de La Croix de Marlet. This 2.2 kilometres hill at 4.7% is crested with 40 kilometres to go. Some 11 kilometres further down the road the riders enter a circuit and they cross the finish line for the first time 4 kilometres later.
Amounting to 12.2 kilometres, the closing circuit is raced two time. This local round features the climb to the Grangent reservoir (1.3 kilometres at 4.5%), which therefore is included twice. The last time over the top is with 4 kilometres to go.
The first three riders on the line win time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds. The race doesn’t include intermediate sprints.
The expected arrival is around 16:30 local time.
Read also: results/race report 1st stage Critérium du Dauphiné 2018.
Critérium du Dauphiné 2018 Stage 1: Route maps, height profiles, and more
Click on the images to zoom
Watch the highlights of recent races here:
Related articles Favourites - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Overview - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Stage 7: Adam Yates wins in shadow Mont Blanc, Thomas pockets overall - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Stage 6: Pello Bilbao wins in La Rosière ski station, Geraint Thomas cements GC lead - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Stage 5: Daniel Martin wins in Valmorel, Geraint Thomas new leader - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Stage 4: Julian Alaphilippe wins uphill, Gianni Moscon new leader - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Stage 3: Sky crushes rivals on TTT, Kwiatkowski back in overall lead - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Stage 2: Sprint victory Ackermann, Impey new leader - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Michal Kwiatkowski first GC leader after prologue win - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Route prologue: ITT in Valence - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Route stage 2: Montbrison - Belleville (Beaujolais) - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Route stage 3: Pont-de-Vaux - Louhans (TTT) - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Route stage 4: Chazey-sur-Ain - Lans-en-Vercors - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Route stage 5: Grenoble - Valmorel - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Route stage 6: Frontenex – La Rosière - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 Route stage 7: Moûtiers – Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc - Critérium du Dauphiné 20 More articles Paris-Nice 2021: The Route
Paris-Nice 2021 Route stage 1: Saint-Cyr-l'École - Saint-Cyr-l'École
Paris-Nice 2021 Route stage 2: Oinville-sur-Montcient - Amilly
Paris-Nice 2021 Route stage 3: Gien - Gien
Paris-Nice 2021 Route stage 4: Chalon-sur-Saône - Chiroubles
Paris-Nice 2021 Route stage 5: Vienne - Bollène
Paris-Nice 2021 Route stage 6: Brignoles - Biot
Paris-Nice 2021 Route stage 7: Nice - Valdeblore La Colmiane
Paris-Nice 2021 Route stage 8: Nice - Nice
Tour de France 2021: The Route
Tour de France 2021: Riders
Tour of Flanders 2021: Riders
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 1: Brest - Landerneau
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 2: Perros-Guirec - Mûr-de-Bretagne
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 3: Lorient - Pontivy
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 4: Redon - Fougères
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 5: Changé - Laval
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 6: Tours - Châteauroux
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 7: Vierzon - Le Creusot
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 8: Oyonnax - Le-Grand-Bornand
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 9: Cluses - Tignes
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 10: Albertville - Valence
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 11: Sorgues - Malaucène
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 12: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Nîmes
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 13: Nîmes - Carcassonne
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 14: Carcassonne - Quillan
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 15: Céret - Andorra la Vella
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 16: Pas de la Case - Saint-Gaudens
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 17: Muret - Col du Portet
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 18: Pau - Luz-Ardiden
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 19: Mourenx - Libourne
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 20: Libourne - Saint-Emilion
Tour de France 2021 Route stage 21: Chatou - Paris
Cycling Calendar 2021
Volta a Catalunya 2021: The Route
Volta a Catalunya 2021: Riders
Giro 2021: Riders
Milan - San Remo 2021: Riders
Strade Bianche 2021: Riders
UAE Tour 2021: Riders
Like our Facebook page and stay on top of all pro-race information!