2024 Critérium du Dauphiné: analysing the contenders

The sprinters will want to stay home for this year’s Critérium du Dauphiné, which appears to be tailored to the pure climbers. With mountain summit finishes on five of the eight stages and a time trial, the organisers ASO have created a brutal route designed to test the world’s best.

Unfortunately, almost all of the big-name contenders who had the Dauphiné circled in red on their calendars crashed during the Itzulia Basque Country in April, and defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) will not be on the start line.