In mid June, the Criterium de Dauphiné Libéré took the riders over many of the Alpine climbs that will be used in July in the Tour de France. Included on this years route were the Mont Ventoux, the Col de la Colombiere and the difficult Col de Joux Plane with the fast descent into Morzine.

Triple Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong won the 2002 event with a second place in the time trial and an impressive win in the hot conditions on the stage to Morzine. The overall classification was as follows:

1 - Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 28.38.50
2 - Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service 2.03
3 - Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole 2.24
4 - Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.44
5 - Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis 3.28
6 - Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com 3.46
7 - Aitor Kintana Zarate (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 5.09
8 - Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) iBanesto.com 5.34
9 - Richard Virenque (Fra) Domo-Farm Frites 6.11
10- Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux 7.09

Click here for Images from Stage 4 (Montélimar - Pierrelatte 41km time trial) and Stage 5 (Isle-sur-Sorgue - Digne)

Click here for Images from Stage 6 (Digne - Grenoble) and Stage 7 (Albertville - Morzine)

This page details the 2002 route, the teams, and images from the Dauphiné Libéré in 1996, 2000 and 2001 .

Monday 10th June : 173km - Châtillon sur Chalaronne to Saint Etienne

Tuesday 11th June: 174km - Tournon sur Rhône to Le Mont Ventoux

Wednesday 12 June : 41km individual time trial - Montélimar to Pierrelatte

Thursday 13th June : 209km - L'Isle sur la Sorgue to Digne les Bains

Friday 14th June : 204km - Digne les Bains to Grenoble

Saturday 15th June : 146km - Albertville to Morzine-Avoriaz

Sunday 16th June : 150km - Morzine-Avoriaz to Genève

Total kilometres: 1,100 Km

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Official Map:

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The 2002 Teams and Principal riders

CREDIT AGRICOLE
Moreau - Brard

US POSTAL SERVICE
Amstrong - Rubiera

TEAM CSC TISCALI
Laurent Jalabert

COFIDIS le crédit par téléphone
Mancoutie - Kivilev - Millar

LOTTO-ADECCO
Aerts - Baguet - Van de Wouwer

LA FRANCAISE DES JEUX
McGee - Cooke - Casper

KELME - COSTA BLANCA
Sevilla - Botero

BONJOUR
Rous - Chavanel

DOMO - FARM FRITES
Virenque - Bruylandts

AGR2R Prevoyance
Chaurreau - Botcharov

iBanesto.com
Menchov - Gutierrez - Jimenez José Maria

JEAN DELATOUR
Halgand - Roux

EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI
Mayo - Sanchez

BIGMAT - AUBER 93
Heulot- Garcia Casas

 

The Dauphiné Libéré is a great event to follow. The top riders in the world are there, the route takes in the big climbs, and its easy to be around the riders at the start and finish as there are not the crowds. The weather is normally great in the Rhone Alps region, so if you come across, you'll have a great time.

There are cheap flights from the UK, to Grenoble, Lyon and Geneva.

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Images of the Dauphiné Libéré

Miguel Indurain in 1996 In 1996, Indurain won the Dauphiné Libéré, but then lost the Tour de France.

 

Finish on the Bastille in 1996 The winners podium in 1996, with Miguel Indurain, Tony Rominger and Richard Virenque.

 

Chris Boardman The leader of the Gan team back in 1996, Chris Boardman.

 

Laurent Jalabert in 2000 In the final stage of the race in 2000, Laurent Jalabert was in the break and on the slopes of the Cote du Domancy, he dropped his breakaway companians to win the stage in Sallanches.

 

On the climb of Chamrousse in 2001 With 200 metres to the summit of Chamrousse, the riders faced 32 kilometres downhill the finish in Grenoble.

 

Axel Merckx in 2001 Axel Merckx nears the top of Chamrousse.

 

Didier Rous in Vizille Bonjour rider, Didier Rous in Vizille before the Depart of the final stage in 2001.

 

Pavel Tonkov Pavel Tonkov contempates how he can take back the few seconds he needs to win the yellow jersey before the final stage to Chambery in the 2001 event.

 

Jens Voigt above Chambery Jens Voigt on his way to the stage victory in Chambery in the 2001 event.

 

The Yellow Jersey in 2001 Christophe Moreau, the winner of the 2001 event, sits in the main bunch on the stage to Chambery.