Bahrain-Merida back Colbrelli and Brajkovic for Criterium du Dauphine - News Shorts

Image 1 of 5

Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Colbrelli and Brajkovič headline Bahrain-Merida's Criterium du Dauphine line up

Bahrain-Merida head to the key Tour de France warm up race, Criterium Du Dauphine, this week with the dual ambitions of targeting sprint wins and the general classification. Italian Sonny Colbrelli will aim to add to his Paris-Nice stage win and De Brabantse Pijl-La Flèche Brabançonne. It will be the first race since April's Tour de Romandie for the 27-year-old and his first time racing the Dauphine.

Janez Brajkovič also makes his return to racing after a break following the Tour de Romandie with the 2010 overall winner aiming for his best GC result yet in 2017. Brajkovič started his season with 47th overall at the Tour Down Under and Abu Dhabi Tour before more lowly results at the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Vuelta al Pais Vasco, and Tour de Romandie. Brajkovič last raced the Dauphine in 2012 when he placed seventh overall.

"Dauphiné is a small Tour de France with hard climbs. Every year Tour de France contenders come here for the last preparation race, to test themselves and define final team strategies and precise roster for Tour de France," sports director Philippe Mauduit said. "This year, as usually, the first three stages will be suitable for a reduced bunch sprint, due to the difficult terrain, then a TT for specialists and GC contenders.

"The 5th stage will be the last chance for sprinters to jump on the podium before the mountains, where the GC riders will be in the game. We have a strong team going to Dauphiné, with riders that are here after a longer break, but with altitude training camp in their legs, and riders that are coming directly from races. Sonny Colbrelli will be our key rider for sprints and Jani Brajkovič will target the GC. Franco Pellizotti is coming directly from Giro d'Italia and will try to surf on the great views that he started there."

"As we expected, it was hard. I gave it my all, and in the end, there were two guys better than me," Drucker said. "Every year is different here even if the conditions are the same so, I knew it would be hard to defend the win, but I am still up there. I didn't lose 20 seconds or anything. I was close in the end but, it's a pity, and I am a bit disappointed. I have nothing to blame because I made no mistakes. I went as hard as I could, and it was simply not enough."

"I expected it to be hard today but not that hard. I went really deep, and my lungs were burning for a long time after it, but I had a lot of fun, and I bet there will be more fun waiting for us over the rest of the week," said Van Hooydonck. "You're finished before you know it. The first corners were quite tricky as you hit them with a lot of speed and it’s slightly downhill. Then, you make the turn onto the small cobbled road a bit like the Koppenberg in Flanders. It was really steep, and you have to go full gas there as I think that’s where you could really make a difference."

The organisers of the Canadian UCI 2.2 Tour de Beauce stage race have announced the race route and team for its 2017 edition. Pro-Continental teams UnitedHealthcare and Novo Nordisk headline the start list with a strong contingent of America Continental teams. Continental teams from China, Ecuador, France and Canada have also been selected. 17 teams in total will line up in Saint-Georges on June 14.

With a packed start list, the 2017 Criterium du Dauphine will again be a key indicator for the Tour de France with the yellow jersey favourites assembling in France for one final hit out before the July 1 start. Ahead of Sunday's stage 1, Dane Cash and Cosmo Catalano turn their attention to the race in the Recon Ride Cyclingnews podcast to provide you with a comprehensive preview. To subscribe to the Cyclingnews Podcast, click here.