 Despite starting and finishing in the village of Champéry – the first occasion that the race had started in Switzerland in its history – most of the opening stage of the 2013 Critérium du Dauphiné was just over the Franco @-@ Swiss border in the Haute @-@ Savoie department , where the previous year 's race had finished . After a slight descent from the start , the race 's first climb commenced after just 3 @.@ 3 km ( 2 @.@ 1 mi ) of racing , with the first @-@ category Côte de Morgins , a 9 @.@ 2 km ( 5 @.@ 7 mi ) -long , 6 % climb . After a long and steady descent , another first @-@ category climb of the Col du Corbier – which featured in the 2012 Dauphiné @-@ ending stage – was ascented , a 7 @.@ 6 km ( 4 @.@ 7 mi ) test at an average of 7 @.@ 5 % . On the return loop to Champéry , after passing through the intermediate sprint at La Chapelle @-@ d 'Abondance , the Côte de Morgins was climbed from the other side ( this time as a second @-@ category climb ) , before a third @-@ category climb – the Côte de Champéry – just a kilometre from the finish . This 121 km ( 75 @.@ 2 mi ) parcours , especially the closing kilometres , was expected to see sprinters being dropped from the peloton , resulting in a select group of riders at the finish . 
