# 1996 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

The 1996 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré was the 48th edition of the cycle race and was held from 2 June to 9 June 1996. The race started in Megève and finished in Grenoble. The race was won by Miguel Induráin of the Banesto team.

## Teams

Sixteen teams, containing a total of 127 riders, participated in the race:
* Banesto
* GAN
* Festina–Lotus
* Mapei–GB
* ONCE
* Motorola
* Team Telekom
* Team Polti
* Lotto
* Kelme–Artiach
* MX Onda
* Agrigel–La Creuse–Fenioux
* Collstrop–Eddy Merckx
* Petit Casino
* Aubervilliers 93
* Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne

## Route

Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Stage winner |
| P | 2 June 1996 | Megève | 5.7 km (3.5 mi) | Individual time trial | Chris Boardman (GBR) |
| 1 | 3 June 1996 | Megève to Villefontaine | 227 km (141 mi) | Flat stage | Artūras Kasputis (LTU) |
| 2 | 4 June 1996 | Charbonnières-les-Bains to Firminy | 195 km (121 mi) | Flat stage | François Simon (FRA) |
| 3 | 5 June 1996 | Saint-Maurice-de-Lignon to Tournon-sur-Rhône | 175 km (109 mi) | Flat stage | Gilles Bouvard (FRA) |
| 4 | 6 June 1996 | Tain-l'Hermitage to Mont Ventoux | 173 km (107 mi) | High mountain stage | Richard Virenque (FRA) |
| 5 | 7 June 1996 | Gigondas to Beaumes-de-Venise | 42.1 km (26.2 mi) | Individual time trial | Miguel Induráin (ESP) |
| 6 | 8 June 1996 | Digne-les-Bains to Briançon | 211 km (131 mi) | Medium mountain stage | Miguel Induráin (ESP) |
| 7 | 9 June 1996 | Briançon to Grenoble | 174 km (108 mi) | High mountain stage | Luc Leblanc (FRA) |

## Stages
### Prologue

2 June 1996 – Megève, 5.7 km (3.5 mi) (ITT)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Chris Boardman (GBR) | GAN | 7' 55" |
| 2 | Laurent Brochard (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 11" |
| 3 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Mapei–GB | + 13" |

### Stage 1

3 June 1996 – Megève to Villefontaine, 227 km (141.1 mi)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Artūras Kasputis (LTU) | Petit Casino | 5h 31' 15" |
| 2 | Frédéric Moncassin (FRA) | GAN | + 4' 12" |
| 3 | Jean-Claude Colotti (FRA) | Agrigel–La Creuse–Fenioux | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Artūras Kasputis (LTU) | Petit Casino | 5h 39' 42" |
| 2 | Chris Boardman (GBR) | GAN | + 3' 40" |
| 3 | Laurent Brochard (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 3' 51" |

### Stage 2

4 June 1996 – Charbonnières-les-Bains to Firminy, 195 km (121.2 mi)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | François Simon (FRA) | GAN | 4h 42' 58" |
| 2 | Kaspars Ozers (LAT) | Motorola | s.t. |
| 3 | Miguel Induráin (ESP) | Banesto | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Artūras Kasputis (LTU) | Petit Casino | 10h 22' 50" |
| 2 | Chris Boardman (GBR) | GAN | + 3' 40" |
| 3 | Laurent Brochard (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 3' 41" |

### Stage 3

5 June 1996 – Saint-Maurice-de-Lignon to Tournon-sur-Rhône, 175 km (108.7 mi)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Gilles Bouvard (FRA) | Collstrop–Eddy Merckx | 4h 11' 26" |
| 2 | Christian Henn (GER) | Team Telekom | s.t. |
| 3 | Mariano Rojas (ESP) | ONCE | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Artūras Kasputis (LTU) | Petit Casino | 14h 34' 48" |
| 2 | Gilles Bouvard (FRA) | Collstrop–Eddy Merckx | + 3' 22" |
| 3 | Chris Boardman (GBR) | GAN | + 3' 30" |

### Stage 4

6 June 1996 – Tain-l'Hermitage to Mont Ventoux, 173 km (107.5 mi)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Richard Virenque (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | 5h 00' 39" |
| 2 | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | ONCE | s.t. |
| 3 | Laurent Brochard (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 1' 01" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | ONCE | 19h 39' 22" |
| 2 | Richard Virenque (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 10" |
| 3 | Laurent Brochard (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 47" |

### Stage 5

7 June 1996 – Gigondas to Beaumes-de-Venise, 42.1 km (26.2 mi) (ITT)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Miguel Induráin (ESP) | Banesto | 49' 31" |
| 2 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Mapei–GB | + 28" |
| 3 | Chris Boardman (GBR) | GAN | + 40" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | ONCE | 20h 29' 43" |
| 2 | Miguel Induráin (ESP) | Banesto | + 3" |
| 3 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Mapei–GB | + 1' 42" |

### Stage 6

8 May 1996 – Digne-les-Bains to Briançon, 211 km (131.1 mi)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Miguel Induráin (ESP) | Banesto | 5h 59' 37" |
| 2 | Laurent Madouas (FRA) | Motorola | s.t. |
| 3 | Richard Virenque (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 5" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Miguel Induráin (ESP) | Banesto | 26h 29' 23" |
| 2 | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | ONCE | + 1' 44" |
| 3 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Mapei–GB | + 1' 53" |

### Stage 7

9 June 1996 – Briançon to Grenoble, 174 km (108.1 mi)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Luc Leblanc (FRA) | Team Polti | 4h 27' 54" |
| 2 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Mapei–GB | s.t. |
| 3 | Fernando Escartín (ESP) | Kelme–Artiach | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Miguel Induráin (ESP) | Banesto | 30h 57' 49" |
| 2 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Mapei–GB | + 1' 21" |
| 3 | Richard Virenque (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 1' 32" |

## General classification

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Miguel Induráin (ESP) | Banesto | 30h 57' 49" |
| 2 | Tony Rominger (SUI) | Mapei–GB | + 1' 21" |
| 3 | Richard Virenque (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 1' 32" |
| 4 | Stéphane Heulot (FRA) | GAN | + 4' 49" |
| 5 | Chris Boardman (GBR) | GAN | + 5' 49" |
| 6 | Fernando Escartín (ESP) | Kelme–Artiach | + 6' 48" |
| 7 | Laurent Brochard (FRA) | Festina–Lotus | + 7' 23" |
| 8 | Laurent Madouas (FRA) | Motorola | + 8' 24" |
| 9 | Udo Bölts (GER) | Team Telekom | + 10' 19" |
| 10 | Laurent Dufaux (SUI) | Festina–Lotus | + 11' 37" |