Critérium du Dauphiné 2016

['Dale]

125km remaining from 167.5km

 

The leading quintet continue to collaborate smoothly at the head of the race, 3:20 clear of the peloton as they pass through Claveisolles. The escapees are not far from the base of the day's second ascent, the category 2 Col de la Croix Nicelle.

['Dale]

The five leaders are on the lower slopes of the Croix Nicelle with an advantage of 3:45 over the peloton.

['Dale]

111km remaining from 167.5km

 

The five leaders are still together over the top of the Croix Nicelle, and they continue to hold an advantage of 3:45 over the peloton, where Tinkoff set the tempo and Sky maintain a watching brief near the front.

['Dale]

Teklehaimanot led over the the Col de la Croix Nicelle, picking up the maximum five points on offer in the king of the mountains classification.

['Dale]

Black clouds continue to threaten overhead, but the expected thunderstorm has held off for the time being. Teklehaimanot, Calmejane, Huzarski, Bauer and Gougeard enter the final 100 kilometres with a lead of 3:45 over the peloton.

[tombeej]

There's a good chance Gougeard will try and go off alone at some stage.

 

He's a time trialist, so that's his strength. It's what he did when he won stage 19 of the Vuelta last year: rode the rest of his 24 breakaway buddies off his wheel and went solo from 22km out. Finished with a handsome 40 second lead.

['Dale]

66km remaining from 167.5km

The calm before the storm? The pace has dropped slightly in the main peloton and the break's buffer has been padded out again slightly to 3:40.

['Dale]

There's a good chance Gougeard will try and go off alone at some stage.

 

He's a time trialist, so that's his strength. It's what he did when he won stage 19 of the Vuelta last year: rode the rest of his 24 breakaway buddies off his wheel and went solo from 22km out. Finished with a handsome 40 second lead.

 

Depends on the wind conditions, tom'

If its side or tail

Headwind hmmmm, prob not

[tombeej]

Depends on the wind conditions, tom'

If its side or tail

Headwind hmmmm, prob not

 

True. But that's really his only option IMHO - play to his strengths.

 

I see that CyclingNews' Daniel Benson rode up the finish climb earlier and said, "There’s a slight headwind going up the climb but it’s so well sheltered that it shouldn’t really be a factor."

 

So a lone ranger might have a chance.

['Dale]

True. But that's really his only option IMHO - play to his strengths.

 

I see that CyclingNews' Daniel Benson rode up the finish climb earlier and said, "There’s a slight headwind going up the climb but it’s so well sheltered that it shouldn’t really be a factor."

 

So a lone ranger might have a chance.

 

Indeed

 

Even more likely with this scenario:

 

There's been a significant slackening of the pace in the main peloton, with a number of riders availing of the opportunity to drop back into the convoy of cars and pick up bidons. The end result is that the break's lead has crept up to the five-minute mark with a shade under 60 kilometres remaining.

[HappyMartin]

Guys are flying now. Hit the base of the climb at a shade over 60 km h. I think they might shut this down.

['Dale]

A delegation from BMC moves up alongside Etixx-QuickStep as the peloton hurtles towards the base of the penultimate climb. The gap has dropped to just 2:25 and continues to fall.

['Dale]

Guys are flying now. Hit the base of the climb at a shade over 60 km h. I think they might shut this down.

 

Slight headwind operating

Break will most likely succumb

 

So, which puncheur will get glory today

Maybe EBH       

['Dale]

Grrrrr

 

EBH spat out the back like a ball of used and out-of-flavour bubble gum

 

 

['Dale]

Kawasakiiiiiii!!!

[HappyMartin]

Grrrrr

 

EBH spat out the back like a ball of used and out-of-flavour bubble gum

Dam. So much for that