Critérium du Dauphiné 2016

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We can expect some aggressive racing as riders try to take the stage victory and as Froome, Porte, Contador and others fight for overall success and the leader's yellow jersey.

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With the Tour de France just a few weeks away, it is time for the big-name riders to show their form. There will be nowhere to hide today.

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The riders have lined-up at the start under sunny skies but there is a serious risk of rain, adding an extra twist to the race

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Many of the riders in the race carefully warmed up for the aggressive start on the rollers, including race leader Chris Froome.

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They're off! The riders have left the start line for the kilometre 0 point.

 

A total of 158 riders are in the peloton today. The only non-starter is Dominik Nerz (Bora-Argon 18).

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We immediately have an attack, with five rider jumping away trying to form the break of the day on the flat roads before the first climb.

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The first climb has began and the first attack is breaking up. It's going to be an intense day in the saddle.

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The ever-aggressive Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Argon 18) is now the only rider up the road.

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A counter attack of around 20 riders has gained 40 seconds on the peloton and Benedetti has been caught.

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Robert Kiserlovski (Tinkoff) is now on the attack.

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Is Tinkoff trying to send riders up he road to help Contador later on?

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Kiserlovski is quickly caught, leaving a 21-rider group up front.

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Three other riders have joined the move as the riders near the summit of the Col de Champ-Laurent.

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Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data) was one of the first to attack today. He is chasing points in the climber's competitioN

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Astana seems to be the only team to have missed the attack and so have sent Andrey Grivko and Luis Leon Sanchez up the road to try to join the move.

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The riders in the attack are:

Ben Hermans (BMC), Robert Kiserlovski and Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff), Thibaut Pinot and Jérémy Roy (FDJ), Laurens De Plus and Tony Martin (Etixx-Quick Step), Mikaël Chérel and Ben Gastauer (AG2R-La Mondiale), Daryl Impey (Orica), Jurgen Van den Broeck (Katusha), Tony Gallopin and Louis Vervaecke (Lotto-Soudal), Serge Pauwels and Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data), Marc Soler (Movistar), Thomas Voeckler, Bryan Nauleau, Perrig Quémeneur and Romain Sicard (Direct Energie), George Bennett (LottoNL-Jumbo), Marco Minnaard (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Cesare Benedetti and Patrick Konrad (Bora-Argon 18), Tsgabu Grmay (Lampre-Merida).