Dan Martin, Nicolas Roche for Dauphiné but Philip Deignan out
Dan Martin has had six weeks to prepare for Critérium du Dauphiné and goes looking for a big result. He is perhaps not among the top favourites to win, but his form is excellent.
Having been initially named in the Team Sky line-up for the Critérium du Dauphiné (2.UWT), Philip Deignan will now sit out the race.
The UK WorldTour team did not offer an reason for Deignan’s withdrawal, save to say he had been replace by Ian Boswell.
However, Deignan has just come out of the Giro d’Italia. He rode particularly hard in the final week.
And it is perhaps no surprise he has been a late switch out off the team for the coming week.
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While Irish fans will be disappointed by his withdrawal considering his form in Italy, Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche are set to ride.
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Quickstep’s Martin was 3rd overall last year, behind Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale).
He then went on to take 9th in the Tour de France; his previous best 33rd in the race in 2013.
Martin has been in good form so far this season.
He took 5th at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (2.1) and 6th and a stage win at Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta (2.HC).
That was followed by 3rd in Paris-Nice (2.UWT) and 6th at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (2.UWT).
And in Ardennes week he took 2nd in both La Flèche Wallonne (1.UWT) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (1.UWT).
Martin has not race since Liège, six weeks ago, so he should have had plenty of time to prepare specifically for the week ahead. He leads the team this time out.
Roche will ride for BMC Racing line-up that will look to put Richie Porte into the yellow jersey.
Porte and Chris Froome (Team Sky) will be the hot favourites for the title followed by Bardet, Alberto Contador (Trek Segafredo) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).
Roche will be a key player for Porte in what is a crucial week for the team.
The Australian has already won the Tour of Romandie and Tour Down Under this year as well as taking a Paris Nice Stage.
He feels he can win the Dauphiné and strike a blow against Froome ahead of the biggest showdown of the year at the Tour.
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