You most probably have heard of Maxime Bouet (AG2R La Mondiale), the young French rider who -at 25 years old- will already start in his 4th Tour de France this Saturday in Liège (see here the Tour de France 2012 race route).
But do you also know the "Supporters de Max", two young guys who are completely fan of the long blond rider of the team from Chambéry? If you don't know, you'll get to know them in this article and if you did already know them, this article can be seen as an invitation to join them during the Tour de France 2012 to support Max on the roads of the Tour!
... and all details about Châtel's candidature for the Tour de France!
With Andy Schleck (Radioshack-Nissan) being absent in the Tour de France 2012 and his brother Fränk indicating he doesn't want to have a role as the leader of the American team and is not one of the favourites of the Tour either, Brad Wiggins (Team Sky) is one of the most important competitors to prevent Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) from taking a second victory in row in the Grande Boucle!
Showing a great form since the start of this season, Brad Wiggins explained at the press conference at the end of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 how he prepares the Tour which will start in Liège in a bit over a week from now (see ...> Read the whole story | 3 comments | shown 12463x
A short stage between Morzine and Châtel saw Dani Moreno (Katusha Team) being sacred as stage winner this afternoon, while Brad Wiggins (Team Sky) takes home the yellow jersey ... 20 days before the start of the Tour de France 2012.
The summary of the stage Morzine > Châtel
While Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar) left the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 with knee problems, Daniel Teklehaimanot (Orica-GreenEDGE) was the first to attack and when the Eritrean rider was taken back, three other riders gave it a chance: Rémi Pauriol (FDJ BigMat), Davide Cimolai (Lampre-ISD) and Dries Devenyns (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), but in the Côte de Mijouet these three rider ...> Read the whole story | 2 comments | shown 5204x
Today's stage was the queen stage between Saint-Alban-Leysse and Morzine in the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 and it kept its promises and a big Columbian show on the route of the Alps. Indeed, Cayetano José Sarmiento confirmed he really merited his red jersey with white polka dots, while the stage victory was for another Columbian, Nairo Quintana.
In the general classification we see some changes, but since he's now followed by a team mate and Cadel Evans is 1'36" behind him, Bradley Wiggins is almost sure of the overall victory, for the second year in row in the Critérium du Dauphiné.
The summary of the 6th stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 between Saint-Alban-Leysse and Morzine
After Giovanni Bernaudeau and Blel Kadri (AG2R La Mondiale) in the polka dot jersey and Tony Gallopin (Radioshack-Nissan) in Green, Arthur Vichot (FDJ-BigMat) continues to keep the hopes of French cycling alive by taking the stage victory in the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 after a stage which contained the Grand Colombier which will also be part of the stage Macon > Bellegarde-sur-Valserine in the Tour de France 2012 on 11 July.
The yellow jersey stays on Bradley Wiggins' (Team Sky) shoulders, the white jersey on Wilco Kelderman's (Rabobank) who took it with a superb time trial yesterday, while the polka dot jersey will now be worn by Cayetano José Sarmiento (Liquigas-Cannondale) who was part of the same breakaway as Arthur Vichot.
The summary of the 5th stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012: Saint-Trivier-su ...> Read the whole story | no comments | shown 2820x
The individual time trial of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 between Villié-Morgon and Bourg-en-Bresse saw the victory of Bradley Wiggins! In the general classification, the best finishers of this time trial enter or confirm in the top 10 while Wiggins comforts his yellow jersey.
The summary of the stage 4/ time trial Villié-Morgon > Bourg-en-Bresse of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012
It were finally 171 riders who started in this individual time trial of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 in Villié-Morgon this afternoon. Indeed, Ricardo Garcia Ambroa (Euskaltel-Euskadi), whose bike we saw flying in the air in the last 500 meters of yesterday's stage, didn't come to the start, still suffering from his crash.
After 3 stages in line and the prologue last Sunday, an individual time trial between Villié-Morgon and Bourg-en-Bresse will be on the programme of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 today.
This is an important time trial since, where the general classification hasn't really changed that much these past few days, this individual effort might well have a big influence on who will be on the podium in Châtel next Sunday!
In this article you'll find the start times of the 172 riders who are still fighting for victory in the 64th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné!
The race route of the individual time trial Villié-Morgon > Bourg-en-Bresse
53.5 kilometers will separate the start in the Rue Baudelaire in Villié-Morgon from the finish in the Avenue Maginot in Bourg-en-Bresse this afternoon ...> Read the whole story | no comments | shown 1840x
The short third stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012, animated by two Spanish riders, finally ended in a sprint ... even though this sprint was pretty much disturbed by a massive crash in the last 500 meters. The young Edvald Boasson Hagen was the lucky one and thus won this 3rd stage. In the general classification there are no changes while the King of the Mountains classification puts Giovanni Bernaudeau back at the first place.
The summary of the 3rd stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012: Givors > La Clayette
A 167 kilometer long stage between Givors and La Clayette was on the programme as the 3rd stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 with 3 referenced climbs in the first half of the stage (the Côte de Saint-André of the 3rd category and the Côtes de Crêtes and de Vindry of the 4t ...> Read the whole story | no comments | shown 2864x
The main facts of the 2nd stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 were several abandons and a 4 rider strong breakaway. The efforts of this group in the end however only served Blel Kadri to take several points for the King of the Mountains classification (this allowed him to take the lead in this classification) since all riders of this group were caught up with by the peloton at about 5 kilometers from the finish. In the end, a bunch sprint decided the stage victory and this sprint was won by Daniel Moreno.
The summary of stage 2/ Lamastre > Saint-Félicien of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012
The Col de Montivernoux (the climb actually continued till the top of the Mont Gerbier de Jonc), the Col de Clavière and the Col de Lalouvesc were the main climbs of the 2nd stage of the Critérium d ...> Read the whole story | 1 comment | shown 3273x
A sprinters stage was on the programme in the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012 today. In the end however the victory was not disputed in a bunch sprint! First of all the early breakaway almost continued till the finish but when it was finally caught, 3 other adventurous riders decided to attack and in the end, Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) showed he was the strongest in this leading trio!
Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) seized the occasion to take the yellow and blue leader's jersey, the jersey he took home in the Dauphiné in 2011.
The summary of the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2012: Seyssins > Saint-Vallier
Just before noon the stage started in Seyssins under a hesitating sun which only just started to dry up the roads of the rain which never stopped falling since the end of yesterday afternoon.
Rather quickly, 4 riders got away from the peloton and formed a first leading group w ...> Read the whole story | 2 comments | shown 2064x