Critérium du Dauphiné 2016 – Stage 7 Preview
By David Hunter
Le Pont de Claix – Superdevoluy 151km
Last day.
After two great stages, we could be in for another terrific day.
We follow the same pattern as previous stages, a short day with some brutal climbing.
This is a monster of a climb. Just like today, the attacks should come early.
We do finish with a relatively easy climb but the Col du Noyer is a real test. With 4km of over 10%, this is the hardest part of the whole week. Only the best climbers will survive this point.
The final climb is short and averages close to 5% for most of the way. It’s a big gear climb but after a demanding three days in the mountains, this will not be easy.
Tactics
Attack early and often! That seems to be the fashionable tactic just now. The peloton will have to be a little more patient in this stage and wait till the Col de Moissiere. That’s not to say that some teams will try and send riders in the morning break. If you are planning an early attack, you’ll need some help between the cat 1 climbs. Team Sky will be aware of this.
Contenders
Chris Froome – looked very strong again today. His teammates were wonderful and controlled the day to perfection. Froome will love the Noyer, but with a number of riders close to him on GC, he might prefer to attack himself. That would make for great watching.
Dan Martin – no way did I think he would have survived today. A great day for the Irishman and he now sits just 9 seconds off the podium. The final climb of the day is good for him, as he looks to be the fastest of the GC men. Getting there will not be easy. He will need to hang tough on the Noyer, a climb that suits the other riders better.
Richie Porte – it was a surprise to see lose a little time today. This stage does look good for him and he will be very keen to hang onto 2nd place or even challenge Froome for 1st. I still want to see him launch a big attack and put Froome under pressure. He needs to resist the temptation to ride defensively.
Alberto Contador – can’t see it happening for Bertie. He looks to be fading at the wrong time. It’s important for his confidence that he doesn’t lose time to Froome.
Weather
Not too warm but it should stay dry. It’ll be a good day for climbing.
Keep An Eye On
AG2R – They are very keen on a stage win and will try to send riders into the morning break. They have a few options in Vuillermoz, Bakelants and Cherel. A few will have to stay with Bardet, who has a chance on GC, but I still think they will go for the morning break.
Breakaway Hopes
Should be a good day for the break. With big gaps on GC, they will get some freedom from the peloton. It won’t be easy to make the move, but the reward will be worth the effort. Some big riders lost time today, they would love to take a stage win to make up for a poor result on GC.
Prediction Time
Purito Rodriguez lost nearly 6 minutes today. Like he showed in the 2015 Tour, he is a very dangerous rider when down on GC. He’ll be my pick for this stage.
Back with the GC favourites, Chris Froome is just too strong.
OVERALL PREVIEWDavid HunterFollow us on @CiclismoInterJoin us on facebook: Ciclismo Internacional
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