Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (FRA) - 08-15.08.2008

The Dauphiné Libéré stage race is very similar to the three-week Tour de France, but has managed to retain its traditions and quality of racing while becoming a key race on the UCI ProTour calendar.

The Dauphiné Libéré was voted the best organised UCI ProTour race in 2006, and the riders and teams always enjoy the racing, the roads and even the hotels were riders stay after each stage.

The Dauphiné Libéré is organised by the local French newspaper and covers some breathtaking roads in the French Alps. Race director Charly Mottet won the race as a rider in 1987 and his experience as a UCI technical delegate means he knows how to create the perfect balance of mountain stages, time trials and flat stages to create a thrilling race.

The route of the Dauphiné Libéré always includes some of the legendary Alpine climbs such as the Col du Galibier and the Col d’Izoard, and often travels further west to climb Mont Ventoux in Provence.

In 2007, Frenchman Christophe Moreau of the Ag2r team won overall, just 14 seconds ahead of eventual 2007 UCI ProTour winner Cadel Evans, of Australia. Moreau won two key stages in the mountains to set up his overall victory, while Evans showed his season-long consistency and major stage race potential. In 2008, Evans and Moreau will again be contenders, along with many of the other big-name UCI ProTour contenders.