Critérium du Dauphiné – A stage victory the goal for IAM Cycling

THE OBJECTIVE

A stage victory. With this last great test ahead of the Tour de France fast approaching, Eddy Seigneur, directeur sportif for IAM Cycling at the Dauphiné along with Lionel Marie, clearly announced the team’s intentions at the race: “Jérôme Coppel will return to racing, and he will come motivated and competitive at the start for the prologue. Then we will have Jonas Van Genechten to turn to for the sprint finishes, but we will also have Sondre Holst Enger. In view of the recent results our young Norwegian rider has had, we will definitely give him a chance at the World Tour level.”

THE RETURN

Of Stef Clement. Having suffered a broken collarbone when he crashed at the Amstel Gold Race, the Dutch rider will be resuming competition. “I’m still in the recovery phase,” Clement explained. “I’m not in top form yet. Initially, I would have loved to have been back in time for the Tour of Luxembourg. But when talking with the medical team at HUG (Geneva University Hospital), we felt it would be better that I wait until the Dauphiné to resume racing. If I had a new crash on the collarbone, it could be much more serious.”

THE PREPARATION

“I went to train at altitude for three weeks,” Stef Clement continued. “I spent the first ten days as part of the team of IAM Cycling riders who were also at camp. We were under the direction of Marcello Albasini. It was difficult. My condition was far from optimal, and the rest of the group was really preparing for their upcoming racing goals. I remained at altitude alone for another week. That gave me the opportunity to ride at my own pace. I could not do much intensity work. But I still gained a good base. I don’t think I will be able to win a stage. But finishing well on a stage would be tantamount to a victory for me.”

THE SURPRISE

The big surprise of the race could come as early as the prologue. On Sunday the peloton will face the Mont Chéry: a 3.9 kilometer climb that averages 9.7% gradient. It will require a violent effort, which could already dig significant differences in the overall. “This is an excellent test for the favorites,” Seigneur explained. “This will also be an opportunity for the winner of the stage to ensure he can keep the yellow jersey for a few stages. The stages that follow immediately after the prologue should not upset the general classification.”

THE NUMBER

4000 – In meters, is the total elevation gain that the riders will be forced to tackle for the queen stage of the Dauphiné. Between La Rochette and Meribel, there will be five categorized climbs to punctuate the 141 kilometer long stage six. On the program for the day will be the cols de Champ-Laurent, du Grand Crucheron, de la Madeleine, and the climbs of Frasses and Méribel.

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Race Pictures Stef Clement – BettiniPhoto