Favorites stage 2 Critérium du Dauphiné 2024 | Too easy for the climbers, too hard for the sprinters, so who can win?

On day two, the riders start off in Gannat, embarking on a 142-kilometer cycling day. The first forty kilometers have relatively few elevation gains, but this changes in the mid-section of the stage.

The Côte de Fagot (5.3 km at 5.4%) and Col Saint-Thomas (4.5 km at 6.6%) serve as warm-ups, followed by a long intermediate phase. In the final phase, the riders ultimately face a three-stage challenge, which will undoubtedly cause disruptions in the peloton.

From Leigneux, the Côte de Saint-Georges-en-Couzan (7.0 km at 5.8%) appears. After a short plateau, this is directly followed by the slightly steeper Col de la Croix Ladret (3.1 km at 6.1%). The stage finishes at the Col de la Loge, where the final kilometers go up steeply – after a day with 2,700 meters of elevation gain, no less.

Climbs
45.1 km: Côte de Fagot (5.3 km at 5.4%)
67.4 km: Col Saint-Thomas (4.5 km at 6.6%)
124.4 km: Côte de Saint-Georges-en-Couzan (7.0 km at 5.8%)
134.3 km: Col de la Croix Ladret (3.1 km at 6.1%)

Times
Start: 1.30 PM
Finish: 5.00 PM

Monday will grace the peloton with great weather in Central France, with temperatures around 19 degrees Celsius. The wind comes from the north, which means a slight headwind on the final climb.

The big question is: who will go for it on a day like this, knowing what's still to come in the last days of the Critérium du Dauphiné? Hence, this could be a day for the opportunists. Too tough for the sprinters, but too light for the climbers: this stage fits into that category. The kind of stage that, about five years ago, was typically won by Belgian rider Thomas De Gendt – now absent due to illness.

Many of the guys who fit into that genre will know this, so we still expect a fierce battle for the early breakaway. The level in this Critérium du Dauphiné is high, so we are looking at men like Oier Lazkano (Movistar), Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech), Magnus Cort (Uno-X), Oliver Naesen and Dorian Godon (Decathlon AG2R): all baroudeurs or breakaway specialists. And even Mads Pedersen stands a good chance here.

The punchy types, the riders suited for the Walloon races, will also have marked this stage on their calendars. Andreas Kron of Lotto-Dstny has often won this way, but Romain Grégoire, Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Ide Schelling (Astana), Dylan Teuns (Israel-Premier Tech), Toms Skujins (Lidl-Trek), Kobe Goossens (Intermarché-Wanty) and Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) also have the qualities required to pull in the victory on day two.

Should any team in contention for the general classification fancy their chances, then we would mainly keep an eye on explosive riders like Primoz Roglic (BORA-hansgrohe), Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step), Juan Ayuso (UAE-Team Emirates) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike). David Gaudu of Groupama-FDJ and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) are also quite fast for their cycling type.

Top favorites: Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny) and Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ)
Outsiders: Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), Kobe Goossens (Intermarché-Wanty), Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) and Dorian Godon (Decathlon AG2R)
Long shots: Primoz Roglic (BORA-hansgrohe), Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step), Juan Ayuso (UAE-Team Emirates), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike), Toms Skujins (Lidl-Trek), Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Magnus Cort (Uno-X) and Oier Lazkano (Movistar)