Critérium du Dauphiné 2014

['Dale]

The Froome-Contador group is continuing to make inroads into the break's lead. The gap is now down to 1:45, and there are still some 28 kilometres to cover before the beginning of the penultimate climb, the category 1 Côte de Montagny (8km at 6.5%).

['Dale]

Tony Gallopin leads the escapees through the intermediate sprint at La Bathie, still 1:45 ahead of Froome, Contador et al. The average speed so far on the stage has been a brisk 41kph.

['Dale]

As rain begins to cascade down on the break along the valley floor, their lead has been pinned back slightly more. The gap is now down to 1:25.

['Dale]

Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) surges to the front in a bid to inject a bit more urgency into the break's efforts. The Canadian has put in a huge shift in support of Talansky today.

['Dale]

40 kms to go

['Dale]

Richie Porte is riding on the front of the Froome-Contador group, and the gap has been snipped back to a shade over a minute with just over ten kilometres to go to the foot of the Côte de Montagny, the beginning of the two-part climb to the finish.

['Dale]

Alberto Contador is completely isolated in the this chasing group although for now at least, Team Sky's chasing is bringing Talansky's move under control.

[Cav']

Chaos on the road

[Gen]

This is most exciting.

['Dale]

 

Porte and Nieve slip away up the road from the chasing group in a bid to force Belkin and the other teams to contribute more forcefully to the pursuit effort. It's a tactic that works briefly, as Keizer again comes to the front and pegs them back.

Edited June 15, 2014 by ' Dale

['Dale]

Just after Porte is brought back, Geraint Thomas and Froome go on the attack, but Contador follows immediately. Froome swings over and looks for Contador to take a turn on the front, but the Spaniard ignores the request.

['Dale]

When Froome and Contador slow, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) takes a flyer and opens a small gap. The stop-start pace in the yellow jersey group has allowed the Talansky group to extend its lead once again. The gap is back up to 1:20.

['Dale]

There's a degree of brinksmanship from Contador here but it's wholly understandable in the circumstances. He has no Tinkoff-Saxo teammates for company in a 17-man chase group dominated by Sky riders. He's happy to let the men in black do all the work for now, confident, perhaps, that he can pin back Talansky's lead himself once the climbing begins in earnest in a few kilometres' time.

[Cav']

Talansky should be one lucky bastard tonight.

['Dale]

Contador and Froome's man marking has shades of Contador and Schleck at the 2010 Tour de France. Nibali and Kelderman have taken advantage of the deadlock and slipped away, and they have already gained 45 seconds on the yellow jersey group. Froome and Contador are now some 2:13 behind the Talansky group.

[urbanroyal]

Berto attacks ....