Kasper Asgreen and Fabio Jakobsen will be in action at the eight-day stage race.
This year’s Critérium du Dauphiné can be split in two: a first part where the sprinters and the puncheurs will have several opportunities, and another one consisting of three demanding mountain stages – including one to the famous La Plagne (17.1km, 7.5%), which makes its debut at the race – where the fireworks between the GC contenders are guaranteed. In between, an undulating individual time trial held in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that will reshuffle the overall standings and give the climbers an incentive to attack on the big ascents.
Winner this season of the Ronde van Vlaanderen and of the Volta ao Algarve ITT, where a dominant ride propelled him onto the overall podium, Danish Champion Kasper Asgreen will be at the start of this 73rd edition, taking place between 30 May-6 June. Fabio Jakobsen, who at the beginning of April made his return in the peloton, is set to start his first World Tour race in ten months, with Shane Archbold, Josef Cerny, Ian Garrison, Fabio Jakobsen, Florian Sénéchal and Stijn Steels completing the Deceuninck – Quick-Step team for the French event.
“Earlier this month, Kasper rode a solid Volta ao Algarve and will have again a free role to see what he can do and how far he can go in the mountains. It’s nice to have also Fabio here, as he continues to ease back into competition one race at a time. We have a good team for the Dauphiné and we hope to get some nice results, especially as there will be a couple of opportunities in the first stages. The boys are motivated and can’t wait to race again as we start our second part of the season”, said Deceuninck – Quick-Step sports director Wilfried Peeters.
