1971 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

1971 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

Race details
Dates	18–23 May 1971
Stages	6
Distance	992.5 km (616.7 mi)
Winning time	26h 42' 39"
Results
Winner Eddy Merckx (BEL) (Molteni)   Second Luis Ocaña (ESP) (Bic)   Third Bernard Thévenet (FRA) (Peugeot–BP–Michelin)   Mountains Luis Ocaña (ESP) (Bic)   Team Bic

The 1971 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré was the 23rd edition of the cycle race and was held from 18 May to 23 May 1971. The race started in Avignon and finished at Montceau-les-Mines. The race was won by Eddy Merckx of the Molteni team.

Teams

Nine teams, containing a total of 90 riders, participated in the race:

• Bic
• Hoover–de Gribaldy–Wolber
• Flandria–Mars
• Fagor–Mercier–Hutchinson
• Molteni
• Orbea–Legnano
• Peugeot–BP–Michelin
• Sonolor–Lejeune
• Watney–Avia

Route

Stage characteristics and winners

Stage	Date	Course	Distance	Type		Winner
P	18 May	Avignon	8.5 km (5.3 mi)		Team time trial	Molteni
1a	19 May	Orange to Tournon-sur-Rhône	128 km (80 mi)			Eric Leman (BEL)
1b	19 May	Tournon-sur-Rhône to Saint-Étienne	76 km (47 mi)			Eric Leman (BEL)
2	20 May	Saint-Étienne to Grenoble	196 km (122 mi)			André Dierickx (BEL)
3	21 May	Grenoble to Annecy	181 km (112 mi)			Bernard Labourdette (FRA)
4	22 May	Annecy to Mâcon	230 km (140 mi)			André Dierickx (BEL)
5a	23 May	Mâcon to Le Creusot	146 km (91 mi)			Eric Leman (BEL)
5b	23 May	Le Creusot to Montceau-les-Mines	27 km (17 mi)		Individual time trial	Eddy Merckx (BEL)

General classification

Final general classification Rank Rider Team Time 1 Eddy Merckx (BEL) Molteni 26h 42' 39" 2 Luis Ocaña (ESP) Bic + 54" 3 Bernard Thévenet (FRA) Peugeot–BP–Michelin + 1' 43" 4 Raymond Poulidor (FRA) Fagor–Mercier–Hutchinson + 1' 46" 5 Désiré Letort (FRA) Bic + 2' 24" 6 Yves Hézard (FRA) Sonolor–Lejeune + 2' 31" 7 Lucien Van Impe (BEL) Sonolor–Lejeune + 3' 20" 8 Jean Jourden (FRA) Fagor–Mercier–Hutchinson + 3' 38" 9 Ferdinand Bracke (BEL) Peugeot–BP–Michelin + 3' 51" 10 Robert Bouloux (FRA) Peugeot–BP–Michelin + 4' 18"

Further reading

• "Todos contra Merckx en el "Dauphine Libere"" [All against Merckx in the "Dauphine Libere"] (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 19 May 1971. p. 22.
• "Ciclismo" [Cycling] (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 20 May 1971. p. 17.
• "Merckx sigue lider de la "Dauphine Libere"" [Merckx continues to lead the "Dauphine Libere"] (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 21 May 1971. p. 18.
• "Labourdette ganó la cuarta etapa de la "Dauphine Liberee"" [Labourdette won the fourth stage of the "Dauphine Liberee"] (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 22 May 1971. p. 19.
• "Dauphine Liberé" [Dauphine Liberé] (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 23 May 1971. p. 19.
• "Ciclismo" [Cycling] (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 24 May 1971. p. 28.