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Stage by stage
stage 2 - Voiron 
Lyon
179 km
Tuesday 7 June
Lyon
179 km
Tuesday 7 June
En ligne - A sporting perspective
Bernard Thévenet:
« To leave the Isere region, the riders will have to climb the Col du Chat that should favour attacks and breakaways. Then, we will go to Lyon, with the finish set up at the top of the Croix Rousse, as requested by the local councillors. In é000, Frederic Guesdon won a Criterium du Dauphine Libere there. It’s a very nice finish, tailor-made for one-day races specialists. »
Voiron
credit: Sylvain Frappat//View of Voiron
Surroundedby greenery and nature, Voiron offers a quality of life and a focus on theindividual which is appreciated by visitors and inhabitants alike. Thanks toits geographic situation, at the crossing point of the Lyon-Grenoble andValence-Chambéry motorways, it is also a central point within the Grenoble region. The town is situated in the heart of the VoironRegion, and stretches over an area which accommodates almost 100, 000inhabitants. Voiron’sname is known far beyond the boundaries of the region alone: Bonnatchocolates, Chartreuse liqueurs, the liquorice flavoured drink Antésite andRossignol skis have all contributed to putting it firmly on the map. A dynamicand lively town, Voiron boasts rich cultural and sporting traditions, a widerange of associations, a strong economy based on its healthy balance betweenlocal businesses and commercial parks, and facilities and public servicesworthy of a much larger town thanks to its central role within the VoironRegion. It is thecombination of all these features which gives Voiron its unique reputation ofhaving “all the town has to offer, in the country”.
Lyon
Photo credit: Muriel Chaulet//The banks of the Rover Rhône
The bicycle has become a symbol of Lyon’s urban development campaign, and it’s true that the city seems to be made for cyclists. The success of Vélo’v – the large-scale bicycle rental scheme which has been running for six years now – is just one sign of the inhabitants of Lyon’s passion for this alternative mode of transport, which protects the environment at the same time as encouraging healthy living. In the wake of this pioneering venture, Lyon is now working on plans for more eco-friendly methods of transport, with a view to attaining the objectives outlined by its climate and atmospheric protection plans. The creation of the longest tunnel in Europe exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists (1,757m) proves the city’s ambition in terms of town-planning, which is already considered throughout the world as being exemplary. With its rich architecture, urban renovation campaign (Lyon Confluence), and its location on the banks of the River Rhône and River Saône, Lyon is the perfect place for hosting major events and so it is quite natural that the Critérium du Dauphiné is at home in the heart of this urban setting.