2016 Critérium du Dauphiné

All 18 UCI WorldTeams were automatically invited and were obliged to attend the race. Four wildcard teams were also invited.[3]

In the Critérium du Dauphiné, four different jerseys were awarded. The most important was the general classification, which was calculated by adding each rider's finishing times on each stage. The rider with the least accumulated time is the race leader, identified by a yellow jersey with a blue bar; the winner of this classification was considered the winner of the race.[5]

Additionally, there was a points classification, which awarded a green jersey. In the classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 10 in a stage. Points towards the classification could also be achieved at each of the intermediate sprints; these points were given to the top three riders through the line with 5 points for first, 3 for second, and 1 point for third.[5]

There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a red jersey with white polka dots. In the mountains classification, points towards the classification were won by reaching the top of a climb before other cyclists. Each climb was categorised as either first, second, third, or fourth-category, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs. First-category climbs awarded the most points; the first six riders were able to accrue points, compared with the first four on second-category climbs, the first two on third-category and only the first for fourth-category.[5]

The fourth jersey represented the young rider classification, marked by a white jersey. This was decided the same way as the general classification, but only riders born on or after 1 January 1991 were eligible to be ranked in the classification. There was also a team classification, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time.[5]

Classification leadership by stage

Stage	Winner	General classification	Points classification	Mountains classification	Young rider classification	Team classification
P	Alberto Contador	Alberto Contador	Alberto Contador	Alberto Contador	Julian Alaphilippe	Team Sky
1	Nacer Bouhanni		Nacer Bouhanni
2	Jesús Herrada
3	Fabio Aru
4	Edvald Boasson Hagen		Edvald Boasson Hagen
5	Chris Froome	Chris Froome		Daniel Teklehaimanot
6	Thibaut Pinot			Thibaut Pinot
7	Steve Cummings			Daniel Teklehaimanot
Final		Chris Froome	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Daniel Teklehaimanot	Julian Alaphilippe	Team Sky

Notes

• In stage 1, Richie Porte, who was second in the points classification, wore the green jersey, because Alberto Contador (in first place) wore the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification during that stage. Chris Froome, who was third in the mountains classification, wore the polka dot jersey, because Alberto Contador (in first place) wore the yellow jersey and Richie Porte (in second place) wore the green jersey during that stage.
• In stages 2–5, Richie Porte, who was second in the mountains classification, wore the polka dot jersey, because Alberto Contador (in first place) wore the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification during that stage.

• Official website