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Jean-Pierre Danguillaume
Jean-Pierre Danguillaume (born 25 May 1946) is a retired French professional road bicycle racer. He is the nephew of fellow racing cyclist Camille Danguillaume. His sporting career began with U.C. Joue. As an amateur, he competed in the team time trial at the 1968 Summer Olympics and won the 1969 edition of the Peace Race. In 1970 he turned professional with the Peugeot team, where he spent his entire professional career. Between 1970 and 1978, Danguillaume won 7 stages in the Tour de France. His other notable wins included the Grand Prix de Plouay in 1971, the Critérium International in 1973, the Grand Prix du Midi Libre in 1974, and Paris–-Bourges in 1975. In the latter year, he also won the bronze medal in the road race at the World Championships in Yvoir, Belgium. During his career, he earned a total of 350 wins, including 68 as a professional. After his retirement at the end of 1978, he became a directeur sportif, managing the Mercier team from 1979 to 1984. After the team was disbanded, he joined Coca-Cola Enterprises as an executive, managing the company’s presence at the Tour de France as a sponsor: he remained in this role for 19 years, retiring at the end of 2003. He continued to work at the Tour in a hospitality role.
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Critérium du Dauphiné
The Critérium du Dauphiné is an annual cycling stage race held in the Dauphiné region of southeastern France. Established in 1947 by the Grenoble-based newspaper Le Dauphiné libéré, it was created to promote the newspaper’s circulation in the years following World War II. The event quickly became a hallmark of professional cycling, with its eight-day stage race format traditionally held in the first half of June.
The Dauphiné is renowned for its challenging mountainous route, including iconic climbs from the Tour de France, such as Mont Ventoux, Col du Galibier, and Col de la Chartreuse. These notoriously demanding stages and the Dauphiné’s timing just ahead of the Tour make it an ideal preparation race for Grand Tour contenders. Over the decades, many riders—including Henry Anglade, Louison Bobet, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, and Bernard Hinault—have used the Dauphiné to fine-tune their form and training, with several also going on to win the Tour de France in the same season.
Edward Klabinski of the Mercier-Hutchinson Team won the inaugural edition in 1947. The Dauphiné continues to attract the world’s best cyclists, serving as a test of endurance and a stage for memorable performances. Primož Roglič of Bora-Hansgrohe won the 2024 edition, adding another illustrious name to the race’s history.
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