Criterium du Dauphine Libere

Critérium du Dauphiné
Stage 7: Allevard-les-Bains to Sallanches, 148km/92mi
By Cathy Mehl

Five yellow jerseys and five stuffed lions add up to the biggest career win ever for Team RadioShack’s Jani Brajkovic as he took the victory in the 62nd Critérium du Dauphiné on Sunday in a true coming of age career moment for the young Slovenian rider. Seizing the race lead on the stage 3 individual time trial last Wednesday, 26-year old Brajkovic and his teammates defended the race lead for five days, taking the win ahead of Alberto Contador (Astana) by 1:41 and American Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia) by 2:41.  It was a fine display of teamwork, savvy racing, persistence and mature patience as Brajkovic achieved his early-season goal of winning the Critérium du Dauphiné. Brajkovic was escorted to the line by American Chris Horner who took 9th on the overall in a week of solid racing to defend the jersey.

Critérium du Dauphiné
Stage 6: Crolles  to Alpe-d’Huez,               151.5 km/94mi
By Cathy Mehl

Attack after attack after attack.  That was the scenario on the final climb to L’Alpe d’Huez on Saturday’s stage 6 in the Critérium du Dauphiné.  Astana’s Alberto Contador tried no less than six times to dislodge Team RadioShack’s Jani Brajkovic from the top podium step.  But each time Contador attacked, Jani calmly responded and rode back to the wheel.  A slight grimace on the face of Contador was met with a mask of calm and our 26-year old Slovenian champion who methodically met every challenge and retained the race lead with only one stage to go.  As the duo approached the finish line, Jani led the way but Contador swung around him to claim the stage win.  Crossing immediately behind the Spaniard, Brajkovic lost no time on the mythical mountain and stills hold 1:41 over Contador who rode into second place on the classification.  American rider Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia) lost time on the stage and settled into third overall.  Suffering some on the climb, he was coached along by Team RadioShack’s Chris Horner who now holds ninth on the general classification.

Critérium du Dauphiné
Stage 5: Serre-Chevalier to Grenoble, 143.5km/89mi
By Cathy Mehl

With tomorrow’s stage heading to L’Alpe d’Huez the overall contenders were not interested in making any bold statements in stage five and opted instead to ride conservatively and save the fireworks for Saturday’s big mountain stage. Team RadioShack’s Jani Brajkovic collected his third yellow jersey and continues to hold 1:15 to Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia) and 1:41 to Alberto Contador (Astana). "I felt pretty good today," said Jani after the race.  "For tomorrow I'm going to try to stay with the best and keep the jersey of course!  We'll see.  Let's hope for the best!"  It's a new role for 26-year old Brajkovic and he's riding with confidence and the full support of Team RadioShack.

Critérium du Dauphiné
Stage 4:  Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Risoul, 210km/130mi
By Cathy Mehl

It was time to head to the high mountains in the 62nd Critérium du Dauphiné on Thursday.  A gradual climb that kicked up near the end was the main feature of the day and proved to be the battleground for today’s stage.  As expected, with less than 3km to go Astana’s Alberto Contador was itching to fly and began dancing on the pedals….but Team RadioShack’s Jani Brajkovic knew the steps to that dance too and countered every move Contador made in a perfect defense of his yellow jersey, taking third in the stage as well.  The Team worked perfectly all day, keeping the pace high until the final climb with 12km to go when Chris Horner controlled from the front until the closing few minutes.  Jersey flapping and yellow shoes hard to miss, Horner rode for Jani until 3km to go when Brajkovic was on his own and clearly showing plenty of racing savvy to protect his race lead.  

Critérium du Dauphiné
Stage 3: Monteux to Sorgues, 49km/30.4mi
By Cathy Mehl


In an amazing display of focus and power, Team RadioShack’s Jani Brajkovic rode himself to a stage win and into the yellow jersey in stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphiné on Wednesday. Holding third place at the start of the stage, Jani put in a tremendous ride that rocketed him to the top of the leader board, putting him 36-seconds ahead of David Millar (Garmin) and Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia) in a massive re-shuffling of the general classification.  Most notably absent is former race leader Alberto Contador (Astana) who missed the mark by 1:46 and dropped to fourth overall.

Critérium du Dauphiné
Stage 2: Annonay to Bourg-Saint-Andéol, 177km/110mi
By Cathy Mehl
 
A late-race catch in the last 1000 meters of racing set up a group sprint to the line in Bourg-Saint-Andéol for the second stage of the 62nd Critérium du Dauphiné.  With the riders spread wide across the road and the sprint in full cry, Saxo Bank’s Juan José Haedo shot through an opening on the left side of the course to claim an easy victory.  Once a formidable sprinting force in the US peloton, Haedo is now finding strong success in the European races as well.  Second and third places went to Martin Reimer (Cervelo) and yesterday’s winner Grega Bole (Lampre).  There was no change to the overall with Alberto Contador (Astana) remaining in the yellow leader’s jersey.  Team RadioShack’s Jani Brajkovic still holds third on the General Classification behind American rider Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia).

Voiron, June 7th 2010 - Team RadioShack’s Haimar Zubeldia suffers from a distal radius fracture (right side). Zubeldia broke his forearm (wrist) in the massive crash that occurred 15 kilometers from the finish in the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné (France).

Critérium du Dauphiné
Stage 1: Evian-les-Bains to Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, 191 km/119mi
By Cathy Mehl


A late-race attack by Team RadioShack’s Jani Brajkovic made for exciting racing in the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné.  Jani put in a strong effort with 5km to go on the descent of the final climb and rode away from the peloton.  His showed stellar bike-handling skills on the descent and built a sizable gap to the chasers.  With 1500m to go Jani was joined by Eros Capecchi (Footon-Servetto) and the two worked momentarily to stay away, but the motivations were high from the sprinters with the front peloton coming together in the last 400 meters.   Brajkovic’s training partner Grega Bole (Lampre) just nipped Peter Velits (HTC-Columbia) on the line, with third place going to Geraint Thomas of Team Sky.  Alberto Contador (Astana) retained his yellow jersey and still holds two seconds over Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia) and another three-seconds over Jani.

Check out the photos from the Prologue of the Critérium du Dauphiné.

 Critérium du Dauphiné
Prologue: Evian-les-Bains to Evian-les-Bains, 6.8km/4.2mi
By Cathy Mehl
 
With many of the top Tour de France contenders lining up to race the 62nd Critérium du Dauphiné (formerly known as the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré), the opening Prologue on Sunday had all eyes turned to one of the races used as a tune-up for July’s Tour de France.  It was a quick 6.8km ride that started uphill around Lake Geneva for the first half before plunging to the finish line in Evian-les-Bains.  Team RadioShack’s Jani Brajkovic held the best time until near the end when Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia) broke his time, only to be bested by Tour winner Alberto Contador for the stage victory.  Contador earned the first yellow leader’s jersey as well, followed by Van Garderen and Brajkovic to round out the General Classification.