cycling: Critérium du Dauphiné Stage #2: Herrada has the biggest punch and wins

Cycling: Jesus Herrada (Movistar) won the exciting 2nd stage of the Dauphiné. For a long time it looked as if a late breakaway group would prevail, but the Spaniard sprinted past them in the final meters. Meanwhile, Chris Froome (Sky) was able to make up four seconds on Richie Porte (BMC) and Alberto Contador (Tinkoff), but this did not change the top three positions in the overall standings.

Teklehaimanot claims mountain jersey

At noon today, the field of riders set out over 168 km from Crêches-sur-Saône to Chalmazel-Jeansagnière. It was supposed to be a wavy profile that ended with a 2nd and 3rd category mountain. The Côte de Saint-Georges-en-Couzan (7,5 km long with a gradient of 5,6%) and the Chalmazel-Jeansagnière (6,8 km long with a gradient of 3,7%) were separated by only about four flat or even downhill kilometers. As is usual with slightly hilly stages, the breakaways saw particularly good chances of success today. Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension-Data) attacked together with Bartosz Huzarski (Bora-Argon), Alexis Gougeard (Ag2r), Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) and Jack Bauer (Cannondale). Last year, the man from Eritrea already won the mountain jersey, which he hopes to repeat this year. He snagged the first two climbs and is within striking distance. But it quickly became clear that there would be no more for him today. He flew back behind the peloton and the lead of the remaining breakaways also dwindled to less than two minutes, as the team Etixx-Quick Step in the person of Tony Martin kept the pace high in the field.

Herrada sprints over the escapees

Several drivers attacked from the field, so that a group formed around ex-world champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky), Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data), Fabrice Jeandesboz (Direct Energie) and Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal). They caught up first to Bartosz Huzarski and later to Alexis Gougeard and with about ten kilometers to go they were less than a minute ahead of the peloton before the two former breakaways and, surprisingly, Kwiatkowski too, were no longer able to follow. Sergio Henao (Sky) and Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) tried to break away from the peloton and were able to catch up with the leading trio of Pauwels, Jeandesboz and Gallopin within the last kilometer. But the peloton kept getting closer and drove up to the group on the uphill home stretch. Jesus Herrada had the biggest punch and won by two seconds over the breakaway trio. Chris Froome was also happy to take four seconds off Richie Porte and Alberto Contador, among others. On the other hand, things were going really bad for the overall seventh before the stage, as Romain Bardet (Ag2r) fell in the last few kilometers and lost time.

Final result Criterium du Dauphiné stage #2

Appreciation Criterium du Dauphiné