Dauphiné Libéré
Encyclopedia
The Critérium du Dauphiné (before 2010 known as the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré) is an annual cycling
road race
, run over eight stages in the Dauphiné
region in France
during the first half of June. The race was inaugurated by a local newspaper, the Dauphiné Libéré, which gave its name to the event. For many years, organisation of the event was shared between the newspaper publishers and the Amaury Sport Organisation
(ASO): in 2010, the newspaper ceded all organisational responsibility to the ASO, and the race's name was abbreviated. Along with the Tour de Suisse
, the Dauphiné is an important race in the lead-up to the Tour de France
in July, and it is part of the UCI World Ranking
calendar.
Because the Dauphiné is a mountainous area, the winners are often climbing specialists. Many climbs that are famous from the Tour de France
, like the Mont Ventoux
, l'Alpe d'Huez, the Col du Galibier
or Col de la Chartreuse, appear often in the Dauphiné Libéré. All cyclists who have won the Tour de France five or more times have also won the Dauphiné Libéré.
The first Dauphiné Libéré was held in 1947 when Edouard Klabinski from Poland
was the winner. Nello Lauredi
, Luis Ocaña
, Charly Mottet
and Bernard Hinault
share the record of the most wins, with three each.
The current form of the critérium is the consequence of a merger with the Circuit of the Six-Provinces-Dauphiné in 1969.
The Critérium is the only other race that has been won by all the quintuple winners of the Tour de France
(Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain and Armstrong). Seven racers also won the Dauphiné Libéré and the Tour de France in the same year: Louison Bobet
in 1955, Jacques Anquetil
in 1963, Eddy Merckx
in 1971, Luis Ocaña
in 1973, Bernard Thévenet
in 1975, Bernard Hinault
in 1979 and 1981, Miguel Indurain
in 1995 and Lance Armstrong
in 2002 and 2003.
The cities which have hosted a start or finish most often are: Grenoble
(44 times), Avignon
(32 times), Saint-Étienne
(23 times), Annecy
(22 times), Chambéry
(21 times), Gap
(21 times), Lyon
(19 times), Aix-les-Bains
(18 times), Valence
(16 times), Briançon
(15 times) or Vals-les-Bains
(15 times).
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
road race
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
, run over eight stages in the Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....
region in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the first half of June. The race was inaugurated by a local newspaper, the Dauphiné Libéré, which gave its name to the event. For many years, organisation of the event was shared between the newspaper publishers and the Amaury Sport Organisation
Amaury Sport Organisation
The Amaury Sport Organisation is part of the French media group, EPA . It organises sporting events including the Tour de France and Paris–Nice professional cycle road races, and the Dakar Rally...
(ASO): in 2010, the newspaper ceded all organisational responsibility to the ASO, and the race's name was abbreviated. Along with the Tour de Suisse
Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse is a UCI World Tour stage race held annually in June. The race debuted in 1933 and has evolved in timing, duration and sponsorship. With the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is a proving ground for the Tour de France, and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
, the Dauphiné is an important race in the lead-up to the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
in July, and it is part of the UCI World Ranking
UCI World Ranking
The UCI World Tour is the premier annual male elite road cycling tour. It refers to both the tour of 27 events and an annual ranking system based upon performances in these...
calendar.
Because the Dauphiné is a mountainous area, the winners are often climbing specialists. Many climbs that are famous from the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, like the Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the Drôme département. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald...
, l'Alpe d'Huez, the Col du Galibier
Col du Galibier
Col du Galibier is a mountain pass in the southern region of the French Dauphiné Alps near Grenoble. It is the ninth highest paved road in the Alps and the sixth highest mountain pass. It is often the highest point of the Tour de France....
or Col de la Chartreuse, appear often in the Dauphiné Libéré. All cyclists who have won the Tour de France five or more times have also won the Dauphiné Libéré.
The first Dauphiné Libéré was held in 1947 when Edouard Klabinski from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
was the winner. Nello Lauredi
Nello Lauredi
Nello Lauredi was a former professional French road bicycle racer. He was of Italian origin but in 1984 he changed nationality to France. He was a professional cyclist from 1949 until 1959 and had 17 wins. His most important win being three overall wins in the Dauphiné Libéré...
, Luis Ocaña
Luis Ocaña
Jesús Luis Ocaña Pernía was a Spanish road bicycle racer who won the Tour de France in 1973 and the Vuelta a España in 1970.- Early professional career :...
, Charly Mottet
Charly Mottet
Charly Mottet is a French former professional cyclist .He was one of the best French road cyclists of his era, Mottet won a total of 67 races, including the Tour de Romandie in 1990, and has 8 participations in the Tour de France. His best results in the Tour de France were the 4th positions in...
and Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
share the record of the most wins, with three each.
History
After the Second World War, as cycling recovered from a nearly universal five- and six-year break, the newspaper Dauphiné Libéré decided to create and organize a cycling stage race through the Dauphiné region. The race is set in June, just before the Tour de France. From its beginning this race was used as preparation for the Tour de France by French cyclists including Louison Bobet and John Robic. It has also served as a test of both advanced equipment for the cyclists and for broadcast coverage, which is stressed in the mountainous region.The current form of the critérium is the consequence of a merger with the Circuit of the Six-Provinces-Dauphiné in 1969.
The Critérium is the only other race that has been won by all the quintuple winners of the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
(Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain and Armstrong). Seven racers also won the Dauphiné Libéré and the Tour de France in the same year: Louison Bobet
Louison Bobet
Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...
in 1955, Jacques Anquetil
Jacques Anquetil
Jacques Anquetil was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964...
in 1963, Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
in 1971, Luis Ocaña
Luis Ocaña
Jesús Luis Ocaña Pernía was a Spanish road bicycle racer who won the Tour de France in 1973 and the Vuelta a España in 1970.- Early professional career :...
in 1973, Bernard Thévenet
Bernard Thévenet
Bernard Thévenet, born 10 January 1948, in Saint-Julien-de-Civry, Saône-et-Loire, is a retired French bicycle racer. He is a two-time winner of the Tour de France and known for ending the reign of five-time Tour champion Eddy Merckx...
in 1975, Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
in 1979 and 1981, Miguel Indurain
Miguel Indurain
Miguel Ángel Indurain Larraya is a retired Spanish road racing cyclist. He won five consecutive Tour de Frances from 1991 and 1995, the first to do so, and the fourth athlete to win five times. He won the Giro d'Italia twice, becoming one of only seven people in history to achieve the Giro Tour...
in 1995 and Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
in 2002 and 2003.
The cities which have hosted a start or finish most often are: Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
(44 times), Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
(32 times), Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
(23 times), Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
(22 times), Chambéry
Chambéry
Chambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry...
(21 times), Gap
Gap, Hautes-Alpes
Gap is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Hautes-Alpes department.-Geography:An Alpine crossroads at the intersection of D994 and Route nationale 85 the Route Napoléon, Gap lies above sea level along the right bank of the Luye River...
(21 times), Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
(19 times), Aix-les-Bains
Aix-les-Bains
Aix-les-Bains is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is situated on the shore of Lac du Bourget, by rail north of Chambéry.-Geography:...
(18 times), Valence
Valence, Drôme
Valence is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Drôme department, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon on the railway to Marseilles.Its inhabitants are called Valentinois...
(16 times), Briançon
Briançon
Briançon a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department....
(15 times) or Vals-les-Bains
Vals-les-Bains
Vals-les-Bains is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
(15 times).
Jerseys
The leader of the general classification wears a yellow jersey with a blue band, distinct from the other racers. As early as 1948 a red jersey with white polka-dots was awarded to the climber because of the mountainous journey of the Critérium, then in 1955 a green jersey for the best sprinter.Winners
Victories Per Country
| Country | Times Won |
|---|---|
| 30 | |
| 10 | |
| 5 | |
| 3 | |
| 3 | |
| 3 | |
| 3 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 |