Critérium du Dauphiné 2023 Route stage 7: Porte-de-Savoie - Col de la Croix de Fer

Saturday 10 June - The 7th stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné packs over 4,000 vertical metres together within 100 kilometres. The route totals 147.7 kilometres, while the finale is played out on the Col de la Croix de Fer: 13.1 kilometres at 6.2%.

The Col de la Croix de Fer does ring a Tour de France bell, doesn't it? The climb has been included 21 times in the biggest cycling contest on the planet, but strangely never as a finish. In fact, last year it was Giulio Ciccone who reached the Col de la Croix de Fer in first position during stage 12, but it was Tom Pidcock who celebrated 55 kilometres later in Alpe d'Huez.

Stage 7 of the Critérium du Dauphiné starts out on the flat before the terrain changes when the riders start climbing out of the valley of the Isère River just after Feissons. The Col de la Madeleine is a massive test - 25.1 kilometres at 6.2% - while that gradient is biased by 2 more or less flat kilometres halfway up the ascent.

The riders fly down to La Chambre and follow the valley of the Arc River upstream for 14 kilometres. Then it's time for the Col du Mollard, which is a 18.5 kilometres long test with an average gradient of 5.8%.

The Molard peaks out with 20 kilometres remaining and a 7 kilometres descent takes the riders to the base of the finish climb. The Col de la Croix de Fer is 13.1 kilometres long and averaging 6.2%, but the second half is far harder than the first. In fact, the gradients are constantly hovering between 8 and 9% in the last 6.5 kilometres.

The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprint comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.

Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 7 Critérium du Dauphiné.

Another interesting read: results 7th stage 2023 Critérium du Dauphiné.