CYCLING – TEAM Bahrain Victorious is set to take on the 77th edition of the Criterium du Dauphine – an eight-day race seen as the ultimate Tour de France dress rehearsal.
Starting tomorrow from the French commune of Domerat and concluding on June 15 atop the Plateau du Mont-Cenis, the race covers 1,198.7 kilometres with over 22,000 metres of climbing.The defining showdown is expected during the final weekend, with stage seven delivering the Queen Stage: 4,801m of elevation across just 131km.
The peloton will take on the legendary Col de la Madeleine (24km at 6.2 per cent), Col de la Croix de Fer (22km at seven per cent), and finish on Valmeinier 1800 (16.4km at 6.8 per cent).
The race wraps up on Sunday next week with a 133.2km finale to the Plateau du Mont-Cenis, featuring over 3,500m of climbing.
This year’s edition carries even greater significance with the full podium from the 2024 Tour de France – Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel – all lining up, making the Dauphine a genuine Tour-level test.
With a stacked field of the best general classification (GC) contenders and proven time trial capabilities, the individual time trial (ITT) on stage four will be important to limit time losses before the mountains.
Lenny Martinez leads the team’s general classification ambitions as the French climber continues his build-up to the Tour de France. Racing on home soil and suited to the high-altitude climbs, Martinez is aiming to deliver a strong showing against the biggest GC contenders in the world.
“This is a great race in preparation for the Tour and I will go into the race fighting for the GC,” said Martinez. “The team will also be looking for a stage. I’ve got a great team around me, and that gives me confidence. I did this race previously and I really enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to coming back and testing myself.”
Supporting Martinez is a well-rounded and experienced line-up. Jack Haig brings leadership and road-captain duties to navigate the complexities of the mountainous terrain. Santiago Buitrago, Bahrain Victorious’ punchy Colombian climber, comes into the race with the potential to target a mountain stage win.
Torstein Traeen will offer crucial support in the high mountains, while Fred Wright adds versatility and the ability to deliver a fast finish in the early stages, with the capacity to contest reduced bunch sprints. Kamil Gradek and Robert Stannard round out the team, ensuring protection and positioning throughout the varied parcours.
Bahrain Victorious sports director Roman Kreuziger commented: “We are really looking forward to this test ahead of the Tour de France.
“I was at altitude camp with some of the riders and they are in great shape. We’ve got really good support around Lenny. Lenny has already done a great job in Romandie, finishing on the podium in GC. For Dauphine, we are looking for a top ten. The contenders are really strong, but we know Lenny is capable.
“We expect reduced sprints on the first three stages, and then we have a nice ITT on stage four with a climb, and it’s good to see where we are before the Tour with the contenders. Stage five will give another chance for the sprinters before the three hilly days from Friday to Sunday. It’s going to be a really big test for the guys, but we are confident that we can fight against the best.”
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