The route for the Critérium du Dauphiné 2013 was unveiled in Lyon yesterday. It proposes a particularly mountainous challenge that will start for the first time in Switzerland. The leading lights of the cycling elite will take in a visit to the L’Alpe d’Huez climb during the stage finishing in Superdévoluy that is likely to be decisive.

The principle and what is at stake remain the same. The week of racing on the Dauphiné will again play its role of revealing the ambitions and performances of the main players expected on Le Tour this year. However, traditions have been shaken up somewhat for the route of the 65th edition. For the first time in its history, the start of the Critérium du Dauphiné will take place in Switzerland. The race will be making a return to the country, having already been there for a stage finish in Geneva in 2002. The race will not just be innovating in geographical terms, because on 2nd June, the first day of racing will not be devoted to a prologue, but to a first stage that will already set the ultra-mountainous tone of the edition, with a 121 kilometre loop in the Abondance mounts and valleys, starting from Champéry.

In this hilly terrain, the sprinters may perhaps have a chance to shine in Oyonnax and/or Tarare, whilst the all-rounders could take pride of place on the time-trial at the Parc des Oiseaux. However, the confrontations will especially take place between climbers, who will be hitting the heights as from the finish at the resort of Valmorel, for the 5th stage. Two days later, the mountain specialists will tackle the 21 bends of the road leading up to L’Alpe d’Huez, which they will cross to reach the Col de Sarenne pass (at an altitude of 1,966 m), before becoming the first riders in a competitive event to try and tame the dizzying and tricky decent into Le Freney d’Oisans. It is a unique opportunity to prepare for the 18th stage of the Tour de France, but it will also be necessary to keep some energy in reserve for the end of the day: shortly after climbing over the Col du Noyer pass, the final outcome should start to take shape at Superdévoluy.

The places on the podium may be won on this day, but attacks could still be fruitful on the climbs in the final stage. As the pack tackles the road to the Col de Vars pass and the last forty kilometres of the race, there will only be one flat portion left before the finish of the race in the resort of Risoul.

The stages of the Critérium du Dauphiné:

Sunday 2 June, stage 1: Champéry-Champéry, 121 km

Monday 3 June, stage 2: Châtel - Oyonnax, 183 km

Tuesday 4 June, stage 3: Ambérieu-en-Bugey - Tarare, 164 km

Wednesday 5 June, stage 4: Villars-les-Dombes – Parc des Oiseaux, 32.5 km (individual time-trial).

Thursday 6 June, stage 5: Grésy-sur-Aix - Valmorel, 139 km

Friday 7 June, stage 6: La Léchère - Grenoble, 141.5 km

Saturday 8 June, stage 7: Le Pont-de-Claix - Superdévoluy, 184 km

Sunday 9 June, stage 8: Sisteron -Risoul, 152 km