Dauphiné and Lombardia leave teams rethinking Tour plans

Following the Critérium du Dauphiné and Il Lombardia at the weekend, the stage has been set for the Tour de France — although the curtain is still tantalisingly pulled partially across as we wait to see just how much the ailments being nursed by favourites Egan Bernal (Ineos) and Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) — and others besides — will affect them at the Tour.

And they were far from the only casualties. The Dauphiné, which was won overall by Daniel Martínez (EF Pro Cycling) is usually little more than a straightforward week of engaging Alpine racing, acting as a useful barometer of form