Bardet finalises Tour de France preparation at Criterium du Dauphine - News Shorts

Romain Bardet will begin his final preparations for the Tour de France at the Critérium du Dauphiné this weekend. The Frenchman will lead a strong AG2R La Mondiale squad that includes Oliver Naesen, Alexis Vuillermoz, Tony Gallopin and Pierre Latour. Alexis Gougeard and Axel Domont complete the line-up.

Bardet finished sixth at last year’s race but appeared in the podium in 2016, finishing second behind Chris Froome. Bardet has not raced since the Ardennes last month, where he finished third at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and ninth at Flèche Wallone. He has one win to his name so far this season, after going on a solo attack at the Classic de l'Ardèche Rhône Crussol, beating Max Schachmann by 47 seconds.

Bardet finished an altitude training camp earlier this week, where the riders clocked up almost 1,500km of riding, and is ready to get back into racing. “After taking a good break, I headed to the Sierra Nevada to take part in my usual altitude training camp, which I finished on May 27th," he said in a team press release.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It's an important moment in the year, and not only from a physical point of view, as I approach the Dauphiné with a lot of motivation. It's a fantastic race and acts as much more than just a launching pad for the Tour. Doing well there is a definite validation of the level of a rider and his team. The 2018 route is very selective, with important moments such as the team time trial stage, and the final days that will be nervous and very demanding. I am anxious to get back to racing."

The Criterium du Dauphine will take place from June 3 to June 10, beginning with a 6.6-kilometre time trial in Valence.

AG2R La Mondiale for the Critèrium du Dauphinè: Romain Bardet, Alexis Gougeard, Alexis Vuillermoz, Oliver Naesen, Tony Gallopin, Axel Domont and Pierre Latour.

Soler and Roson headline Movistar Dauphinè squad

Flanders Classics takes on cyclo-cross

Lawrence Naesen out with mononucleosis

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com