From 1991 to 2004, immediately before the Criterium du Dauphiné, there was a one-day race, a kind of modern classic (think on that for a moment) held in Southeast France, otherwise known as the Alpes. It was meant to be a climber’s race, essentially, a single mountain stage as would be contained within the Tour de France, just with rest days both before and after the stage. In 1996, the year of this footage, Laurent “Jaja” Jalabert was still in his ascendancy, off of his rout at the Vuelta a Espana the previous summer. This was the first of his two wins—the only victor to stand atop the podium twice. And, yes, everyone was doped to the gills and back on EPO. At least now we know what we were dealing with then.
