The Giro d'Italia is fading in the rear-view mirror of the 2023 season and already attention is turning to the Tour de France. The biggest race of the season isn't too far away now, with the Grand Depart coming in a month's time, in Bilbao on July 1.
But before that gets underway there's plenty to look forward to in June, including the traditional Tour warm-up races, the Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse.
The Dauphiné, something of a mini Tour in the south-east of France, runs its 75th edition this year and can count names such as Merckx, Anquetil, Indurain, Hinault and Froome among past winners.
Reigning champion Primož Roglič won't be taking part after his Giro d'Italia triumph, but his teammate, Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard, will be making his return to racing as he ramps up preparation to defend his title.
There are plenty of contenders ready to do battle with the Dane over the eight days of racing that kick off on Sunday in Chambon-sur-Lac, including Grand Tour winners Richard Carapaz, Egan Bernal, and Jai Hindley.
Read on for out list of the top 10 riders to watch at the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma)
Vingegaard, back in action for the first time in two months, is without a doubt the headline name at the Critérium du Dauphiné. The reigning Tour de France champion will be, above all, the one to watch and the top favourite to take what would be his first title at the race.
Two years ago the Dane finished second from the break on the final stage to Les Gets and last year he was second overall behind teammate Primož Roglič having taken a victory by the Slovenian's side at the Plateau de Salaison.
What happened next was history as Vingegaard stepped up and took over team leadership as Roglič crashed early at the Tour de France, and then had the beating of the seemingly unbeatable Tadej Pogačar in the high mountains.
The pair have faced off once so far this season, with Vingegaard surprisingly struggling mightily at Paris-Nice as Pogačar dropped him three times in seven stages, taking three wins and the overall. Elsewhere, Vingegaard has dominated O Gran Camiño and Itzulia Basque Country, and frankly it would be a surprise to see him fail to win next week. There's a strong field to do battle with, though.
David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ)
The next great French hope, Gaudu has enjoyed arguably his best spring season yet even if illnesses and allergies saw that he rounded it out with three DNFs in the Ardennes classics.
With Thibaut Pinot having focussed on GC at the Giro d'Italia, Gaudu is the undisputed GC leader of Groupama-FDJ this summer. He's already shown that he can mix it with the best of them, grabbing second place in between Pogačar and Vingegaard at Paris-Nice after a very consistent week on the bike.
That remains his best showing of 2023 so far, with fourth at Itzulia Basque Country the other top result, even if he hasn't yet won a race.
Now 26 and having grown into the role of GC contender gradually over the years, Gaudu has a real opportunity next week to show that can once again get the better of Vingegaard and launch himself into real contention for the podium at the Tour.
Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroën)
O'Connor has been one of the most prominent riders at the Critérium du Dauphiné in recent editions, attacking the final weekend two years ago to take fourth and fifth places in the mountains en route to eighth overall – a month before he raced to a career-best fourth at the Tour. Last year he hit the final podium behind Roglič and Vingegaard.
Once again the Australian is set to be a prime candidate for a podium placing at the Dauphiné, and perhaps the Tour – even if he's a rung below Vingegaard and Pogačar on the favourites ranking.
He has the full backing of his AG2R Citroën team, though hasn't enjoyed the strongest opening half of 2023. While last year he had scored two victories plus top 10s at Catalunya and the Tour de Romandie at this point, so far this season he has top 10s at the Australian National Championships, Tour Down Under, and the Tour du Jura to his name.
Like others on our list, O'Connor hasn't raced since the end of the spring season, his last outing coming at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. It's another case of wait and see with regard to form.
Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost)
Ecuadorian champion Carapaz heads up his new team EF as he prepares to lead the men in pink at his first Tour de France since taking third place behind Pogačar and Vingegaard two years ago.
The 30-year-old hasn't come out setting the world alight in 2023, though he has shown flashes of his best. A two-up spring win at his National Championships lies alongside his recent win at the Classic Alpes-Maritimes, albeit from a weak field, as his best result of the year.
Elsewhere, he's put in relatively anonymous showings at the Volta a Catalunya and Itzulia Basque Country. Just last year he was finishing second overall at the Giro d'Italia and racking up three stage wins at the Vuelta a España, though, so it's not as if he's on the downturn.
Still, you'd imagine that at the Dauphiné he'll have to show something more than he did at his previous two WorldTour outings this season if he's to enter the Tour as a top-rated contender. The final three days of the race, with a massive 11,000 metres of climbing, should provide ample opportunity to do so.
Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe)
Like several others on our list, Hindley heads to France having raced through spring without wowing onlookers with dazzling results or a list of wins. Instead, he's racked up eight top 10 placings across the harder stages of the Tour Down Under, Volta ao Algarve, Tirreno-Adriatico, and the Volta a Catalunya.
Still, even if he hasn't set the world alight this spring, Hindley is still one of the more intriguing riders racing in France this June and July. The 2022 Giro champion hasn't raced the Dauphiné or the Tour de France before, so his ride next week will be among the most keenly watched.
He beat several other Dauphiné and Tour contenders last May – including Carapaz and Mikel Landa – though Vingegaard will be a new test. With the Dane the top favourite at the race, a podium would be a great outcome for Hindley, as it would for the other top contenders on our list.
Dani Martínez (Ineos Grenadiers)
Next we come to Ineos Grenadiers. While Richie Porte won the Dauphiné two years ago, the British squad doesn't enjoy the same grip they held on stage racing that saw them take six titles in eight years with Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, and Geraint Thomas.
Colombian climber Martínez heads up the Ineos selection this time around, himself a winner at the 2020 race following Primož Roglič's final stage withdrawal. The 27-year-old joins young Spaniard Carlos Rodríguez at the head of the roster, with both men leading the way at the Tour, too.
Martínez has one big win to his name so far in 2023, having taken the Volta ao Algarve after overhauling Ilan Van Wilder in the final time trial. That was over three months ago, however, and he hasn't shown a lot else aside from a silver at the Colombian National Championships. Still, he's a dependable contender and should be up there once again.
Still 22, Rodríguez is one to keep an eye on rather than expect big results from next week. He has a Vuelta a España top 10 on his palmarès but should still be one more for the future. He also hasn't raced since Strade Bianche, where he crashed and broke his collarbone.
Egan Bernal, still making his way back to his pre-injury best form, forms the third part of the Ineos trident. The Colombian has shown flashes this season, taking fourth at the summit finish of the Vuelta a San Juan and top 10s at the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Hongrie. Watch for more signs of progress in France.
Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo)
Trek-Segafredo's Italian leader has been forced to switch up his goals mid-season after falling ill with COVID-19 in the run-up to the Giro d'Italia. The Italian race, where he has won three stages in the past, was set to be his main goal for the season coming on the back of what has been the best spring of his career.
Ciccone can count stage wins at the Volta a Valenciana and Volta a Catalunya among his triumphs in 2023, while he's also finished second at the former and seventh at the latter, as well as taking top fives at Tirreno-Adriatico and La Flèche Wallonne.
Before his chance was cruelly ripped away a week before the Grande Partenza, Ciccone was heading to his home Grand Tour as a possible top-five contender. It's not yet confirmed whether he'll take on the Tour de France in July, though a Dauphiné debut suggests so.
He hasn't raced since placing 13th at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, so there might be some rust to shake off, but look out for the 28-year-old to contend for the top five and stage wins here.
Enric Mas (Movistar)
Mallorcan racer Mas has enjoyed a steady and consistent year to date, taking top fives at the Vuelta a Andalucía and Itzulia Basque Country in addition to a sixth place at Tirreno-Adriatico.
The 28-year-old has enjoyed the best years of his career in recent seasons, taking runner-up placings at the past two editions of the Vuelta a España as well as Il Lombardia last year. This year's Dauphiné is, for him, a prelude to the Tour where he has finished fifth and sixth before.
A podium spot should be the goal, then, both here and at the big one next month. Mas might not be the most spectacular racer among the GC mob but is perhaps the strongest of the list of riders who have yet to win a Grand Tour. He'll hope to rival Vingegaard next week.
Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates)
Before heading to the Tour de France in service of two-time winner Tadej Pogačar, Yates gets another chance to race for himself at the Dauphiné.
The Briton has done so on several occasions this spring following his move from Ineos Grenadiers, taking third and a stage win at the UAE Tour, a disappointing 11th at Tirreno-Adriatico, and, in late April, racing to overall victory at the Tour de Romandie.
Yates is currently training at altitude in Sierra Nevada along with Pogačar and a cluster of the UAE Tour squad and he hasn't raced since Romandie but will be confident of a good showing next week among a packed GC field.
He'll be looking to add to his stage win and second overall back in 2018, and possibly another WorldTour stage race victory to go with his titles in Romandie, the Volta a Catalunya, and the UAE Tour.
Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious)
Landa, who takes on the Dauphiné for only the fourth time in his career, heads to France having enjoyed a stellar spring campaign, even if it was one without a win.
The 33-year-old stood second on the podium at Itzulia Basque Country and the Vuelta a Andalucía, third at La Flèche Wallonne, fifth at the Volta a Catalunya, and seventh at the Volta a Valenciana and Tirreno-Adriatico.
His track record in 2023 is among the best of the GC contenders at the race and he's an easy bet to add to his run of top 10s – he's scored one at every race he's finished this season.
Landa hasn't celebrated a win since the Vuelta a Burgos two years ago, so he'll be keen to add a 17th career victory to his palmarès in the mountains before heading to the Tour de France as team leader.
Critérium du Dauphiné startlist powered by First Cycling
