Criterium du Dauphine 2024 – Stage 5 Preview
The GC has been shuffled after the time trial. It was expected that Tarling and Evenepoel would fight for it. The question was then, how would the Slovenian veteran fare and the young Spanish GC hope from UAE do? The experienced one came out on top. It now looks like a two-horse between Evenepoel and Roglic.
Route
Stage 5 will provide the GC teams and riders with an off-day. The riders are off to a hilly start but nothing to pose a real threat to the sprinters. The Côte de Duerne is the toughest climb of the day, 5000m at 7%.
From Amplepuis to Saint-Priest. The riders head southeast but turn more north/northeast with 48 km left.
Finale
I’m happy to announce there will not be a descent run-in. With 4000m, as the road slowly rises, there is a large road furniture and as I speak French extremely poorly, I simply conclude this is a bit of a chaotic section where the peloton will be strung out. The road narrows as the go above the railway station. With 3500m left the tricky section is finished and the road becomes wide again but there are plenty of corners still. With 2250m left, the riders do a u-turn before the final straight to the line with 1750m left on a two-lane road (only 6m in width)
Weather
Mostly a headwind tomorrow until they turn direction with 48 km left. The teams wanting a sprint should keep that in mind, as it is an advantage for the breakaway. It will start raining too. It usually keeps the GC men at their toes, helping to pump up the speed a fair bit.
Contenders
Pedersen – perfectly timed by the team on the first stage. Gibbons have found a very good team to become a lead-out man for. He was by far the best lead-out man and made it fairly easy for Mads Pedersen to take the win.
Bennett – I can’t see who dropped him off but he was on the wheel of Pedersen. He didn’t have much left in the tank that day and almost was overtaken by Page. A stage win here would be important to him, they’ve been close twice.
Page – did a good sprint but didn’t have much room or time to do better than 3rd. I’d expect him to fight for a top-5 tomorrow.
Venturini – had a good lead-out by Sénéchal. Another top-5 is likely.
Plowright – needs to position himself better. He has the speed to fight for a better placement than 12th.
Menten – 19th? I didn’t see what happened but that is nowhere near what I expected. He must improve on that result, he should be the third fastest according to myself.
Who will win?
Another duel between Pedersen and Bennett. I’ll take Mads Pedersen, he is just more consistent and the lead-out train looked fantastic.
