Dauphiné Stage 3: A long day with plenty of climbing
Although it is not expected to be a GC day, you never really know anymore
The fight goes on for the riders in France.
Stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphiné offers another unpredictable day. The 206-km route features 3,000 m of climbing, including a punchy 1.2-km ascent at 9.5 per cent with 18.5 kilometres remaining. It’s not expected to be a full general classification battle, but the finale could still spark attacks from the favourites. A reduced bunch sprint, a tactical fight, or a breakaway win all seem possible on the rolling run-in to Charantonnay. After two aggressive stages to open the race, the peloton may not wait for the big mountain days to shake things up again.
Stage 2 recap
Monday’s second stage began with an early solo breakaway that lasted an impressive 110 km. French rider Romain Bardet thrilled local fans with a late attack, but it was Jonathan Milan who delivered the day’s most dramatic moment. After being dropped from the peloton, Milan made a remarkable comeback to claim the stage victory. Although he is tied on time with Tadej Pogačar in the general classification, Milan takes the yellow jersey as the race leader.
An important TT looms
Wednesday will see the riders tackle the one time trial of the race, so it’s possible GC riders may want to do as little as possible to stay fresh for what could be a decisive 17.4-kilometre test. Still, anyone vying for the overall will have to pay attention to any moves and mark their rivals. Immediately following the race finished on Monday, the world champion was seen cooling down on his TT bike. Just like in the Tour, most of the GC riders will do so to get ready for upcoming tests. It will be interesting to see the battle between Pogi, Jonas Vingegaard and Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel.
You can watch the action on Tuesday at Flobikes.com. Canadian Cycling Magazine will have a full report after the race.
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