Critérium du Dauphiné 2022: GC Favourites

[Underneath text was written before the start of the Dauphiné and has not been updated]

Until three years ago, winning the Critérium du Dauphiné was a good indicator of the chances to win the Tour de France. Bradley Wiggins (2012), Chris Froome (2013, 2015, 2016) and Geraint Thomas (2018) – they all were victorious in the Dauphiné before racing to eternal glory on La Grande Boucle. The last three Dauphiné winners, Jakob Fuglsang, Daniel Felipe Martínez and Richie Porte, bucked this trend.

Concerning the 2022 edition, the first time gaps are expected to open up in the first uphill finish on day three and the ITT on the fourth day of action. But the GC action is expected to rage big time in the high altitude stages of Saturday and Sunday.

The penultimate stage takes in two giants – Col du Galibier and Col de la Croix de Fer – before finishing on a relatively short climb to the line. The first kilometres go up at 9.5% before a drop leads onto the last 700 metres at 7.3%. A possible sprint triumph from a small group for Roglic?

The intermediate climbs on the last day are less intimidating then the Galibier and Croix de Fer, but the finish climb is a monster. The ascent to the Plateau de Solaison is 11.3 kilometres long and averages 9.2%.

The only participant who won a stage race this season is Primoz Roglic. The Slovene won Paris-Nice last March.

Favourites Critérium du Dauphiné 2021

*** Primoz Roglic, Wilco Kelderman, Jonas Vingegaard
** Ben O’Connor, Damiano Caruso, Brandon McNulty, Enric Mas
* David Gaudu, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Dylan Teuns, Juan Ayuso