The Criterium du Dauphine Libere, the eight stage annual preview (and hype machine) to the Tour de France, begins this Sunday. Cycling fans who look forward to the Tour every year, will be looking to see who's on form and start marking their favorites and darkhorses for this July.
Although the race covers some of the same parcours, it has seldom been truly predictive of who will end up winning the Tour. In the past 10 years, only twice has the winner of the Dauphine ended up winning the Tour (Lance Armstrong in 2002 and 2003) let alone ended up on podium on the Champs Elysees.All eyes will most likely be on the bookmakers' odds on favorite for this year's Tour victory, Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), who also won the Dauphine in 1999.
Catch the race on Versus' Cyclysm Sunday (check with your local cable provider), or on Cycling.tv.
Local Flavors
If you haven't already earmarked specific races on your calendar, here's a listing of some of the races in your area (contact me if you'd like your state to be added to the listings).
06/09/2007
Cape Fear Road Race
Fuquay Varina, NC
VA State Senior Criterium Championships
Norfolk, VA
Tour of Perry County
Somerset, OH
The Quicksilver
Sterling, VA
WI State Road Championship -- Spring Prairie Road
Burlington, WI
Pescadero Road Race
Pescadero, CA
Sugarhouse Park Criterium
Salt Lake City, UT
LA Velodrome 2007 Track Series
Carson, CA
2007 Commerce Bank Triple Crown Time Trial
Philadelphia, PA
JR Track Championship-Jim Rossi Omnium
Northbrook, IL
SISU Cycles- Race @ The Base
Sawyer, MI
06/10/2007
Mill Creek Criterium
Youngstown, OH
Juniors and Masters Crit Championships
Ontario, CA
MABRA Track Title and DE,MD/DC,& VA
Trexlertown, PA
Back Roads Time Trial
Lyons, WI
Northern California/Nevada TT Championships
Sattley, CA
Tour of Cedar Creek- Dan Cihak Memorial
Twin Lake, MI
Golden Empire Classic/SCNCA Championships RR
Bakersfield, CA
Wheaton Criterium
Wheaton, IL
Commerce Bank International Championship
Philadelphia, PA
Commerce Bank Liberty Classic
Philadelphia, PA
For those in the Philly area, this weekend wraps up the Pro Cycling Tour's Triple Crown (Tom Bamford Lancaster Classic, Reading Classic, and Philadelphia International Championship). So far, T-Mobile has taken the first two legs, with both Bernhard Eisel and Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, taking the men's and women's races respectively.
Natalie Klemko (Advil Chapstick), who I was able to watch dominate on my former local velodrome, the Ed Rudolph Velodrome in Northbrook, IL, has placed more than respectably at both Lancaster and Reading. More on Natalie later...
Speaking of the Ed Rudolph, I'll be in the area to take in the Juniors on the 9th, as I'll be in town to participate in the 26th Annual BCLC Ramble.
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