Critérium du Dauphiné 2016

[Eugene Oppelt]

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.

[Eugene Oppelt]

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.

[Eugene Oppelt]

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

[Eugene Oppelt]

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

[Eugene Oppelt]

 

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).

[Eugene Oppelt]

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.

[Eugene Oppelt]

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

[Eugene Oppelt]

 

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

[Eugene Oppelt]

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

[Eugene Oppelt]

Robert Kiserlovski (Tinkoff) is now on the attack.

[Eugene Oppelt]

 

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

[Eugene Oppelt]

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

[Eugene Oppelt]

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

[Eugene Oppelt]

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

[Eugene Oppelt]

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.

[Eugene Oppelt]

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).