Defending champion Janez Brajkovic has confirmed that he will return to the Criterium du Dauphiné this year, but has said that he will delay peaking his form until the Tour de France.
The Team RadioShack rider won last year’s race, winning the time trial and finishing just behind Alberto Contador on l’Alpe d’Huez. He beat the Spanish rider by one minute 41 seconds overall, netting the biggest success of his career. Although he had long be seen as a talented rider, it was an unexpected result.
However, as several recent winners of the race have also experienced, it’s very difficult to keep that kind of form right through to the Tour de France. He finished 43rd overall in the latter race, reaching Paris over one hour and 20 minutes behind Contador.
This time round, he plans on building up in a different way. “In 2010, my team had me ride the Criterium du Dauphiné and the Tour of Spain - which we eventually did not take part in,” he said. “Following my strong showing on the Dauphiné, it was logical that I ride the Tour de France but in July, I gradually ran out of steam (43rd overall). This year, the main objective is the Tour but the Dauphiné is part of my preparations and it is very important that I ride solidly.”
Brajkovic will be joined by Matthew Busche, Ben Hermans, Markel Irizar, Geoffroy Lequatre, Jason McCartney, Sergio Paulinho and Haimar Zubeldia in the race, which begins with a 5.4 kilometre prologue in Saint-Jean-de-Mauriennee on June 5.
He has said that he will prepare in the week leading up to it in the Briançon region of France. Rather than heading to the Criteirum du Daupiné aiming to target the overall classification, he plans to test himself on two days; the time trial, which he won last year, and the big mountain stage. Having those goals from the offset rather than fixating on the final GC should ensure that he doesn’t go too deep throughout the eight days of racing.
According to RadioShack sports director Alan Gallopin, Brajkovic won’t be at the very top of his form, but could do well anyway. “One thing is sure, he'll be ready when it starts in St Jean de Maurienne,” he said. “He works very hard, he could be on a training camp in Tenerife all year round. We have to cool him down. He is a rider whose peaks of form are pretty short so the goal is that he is at 100 pc on the Tour. Not before.
“I can just underline that he managed decent performances on Paris-Nice (seventh overall) and the Tour de Romandie (seventh) and that's the least we can expect from him on the Dauphine. I also know that the route is tougher than last year and that's better for him.”
Brajkovic is now 27 years of age and if he is to challenge for a big result in the Tour, he is at the right age to do so. He wore the leader’s jersey in the Vuelta five years ago, but cracked before the end. Now older and stronger, he’s determined to move forward with his career.
According to the organisers ASO today, Contador will not compete in the race. He’s just won the Giro d’Italia and needs to recover prior to the Tour de France.