Well done to Nacer Bouhanni who got mixed in with some rough stuff in the run in to the line yesterday – winning the bunch sprint and a bet for us! Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 2 will have a much different finish to stage 1. In fact the terrain is almost the mirror image of that raced over in stage 1.
The Profile
Stage 2 is lumpy with no real flat sections. There are 3 categorised climbs – starting with a category 3 just after the race leaves the start in Crêches-sur-Saône. This will be a good place for the day’s key break to form.
Following the first climb there is an unclassified climb that looks similar to the first category 2 at 51kms. From here the next 100kms are up and down but with no steep or long ascents.
The key part of the stage comes at that 145km point where the second category 2 climb of the day – Cotes des Saint-Georges-en-Couzan starts. If the break hasn’t already been caught by this point don’t expect it to stay away much further into the stage. Strangely, the top of this climb is not where the ascending finishes. A short plateau and the riders climb again for a further 4-5kms to the finish at Chalmazel-Jeansagnière.
We can expect the General Classification riders and punchy climbers to be in contention for the stage win.
The Contenders
Stage 2 will be challenging and expect a small group to be together at the end. The finish reminds me of the three Ardennes Classics with a large groupbeing whittled down on the climb andthe punchy climber types contesting the win. The bookmakers have definitely priced the stage to follow this format. There are about 10-12 riders who could win stage 2 – I will discuss the chances of some of them here.
Simon Gerrans is just favoured for victory with Julian Alaphilippe close by in second. Gerrans is a really good rider on this type of finish – he can go very fast in short bursts up-hill. He is priced at 6.00 but I have a feeling that Alaphilippe at 7.00 is better value. Alaphillipe is coming off overall victory in the Tour of California and was leading the brutal prologue here for quite a while. He finished 2nd in La Flèche Wallonne to Alejandro Valverde and ahead of Gerrans. As Valverde is not riding here I like Alaphilippes chances at that price.
Dan Martin, Alaphilippe’s team-mate is another rider who should go close to winning stage 2. The two Etixx-Quickstep riders have similar skillsets and at 26.0, Martin is a super EW choice.
Enrico Gasparotto was somewhat of a surprise winner of The Amstel Gold Race in the spring. He showed a lot of power up the final climb distancing the favourites including Gerrans amongst others. At 10.00 he is third favourite but I think he might be better suited to winning a one day race rather than a stage in a multi-day event.
Greg van Avermaet of BMC Racing will be close to the front. The stage two finish is his forte and he could feature. I’m not sure his form is quite as good as in the spring and a couple of the riders mentioned here just seem a little but sharper right now.
Michal Kwiatkowki of Team Sky is priced around the low 20s. He was expected to win at The Amstel Gold Race but faltered in wet conditions. He has won races and stages of races on similar courses and at this price is a solid EW shout. I have an inkling he might be more on guarding duty of Chris Froome in the finale.
Don’t discount Froome. Team Sky have a habit of attacking on the first road stage with a hill-top or mountain-top finish in stage races, usually with Froome winning or going close to victory. At 101.00 to win the stage I fancy a small EW flutter on Froome!
Edvald Boason Hagen was close to Nacer Bouhanni in yesterdays sprint finish. He was closer than I expected and he could be primed to win stage 2. He has a record of featuring in the type of finish we will see in Chalmazel-Jeansagnière – if he is in the front group he could easily win a sprint over the riders mentioned in this section.
If the GC riders get locked in a cat and mouse standoff – it has happened in this race in the past then a rider like Stephen Cummings becomes a threat. Cummings can climb and has an uncanny knack of escaping to win stages where there is a brief hiatus in the main group. He can climb and time-trial – at 67.0 he is an interesting small EW shout.
Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 2 Tips
Back Julian Alaphilippe to win Stage 2 with a 1.5/10 stake EW (1/4 odds top 3) at 7.0 with Paddy Power.
Back Stephen Cummings to win Stage 2 with a 0.5/10 stake EW (1/4 odds top 3) at 67.0 with Paddy Power.
Back Chris Froome to win Stage 2 with a 0.5/10 stake EW (1/4 odds top 3) 101.0 with Paddy Power.
Back all three here:
NOTE – I keep promoting Paddy Power in my tips. This is because they are the main provider of cycling odds on this type of smaller week-long multi-stage event.
