Skip to main content

Live coverage

Critérium du Dauphiné 2013: Stage 7

Refresh

Live coverage of stage 7 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, 187.5km from Le Pont-de-Claix to Superdévoluy.

127km remaining from 187km

We pick up the action over the top of the Col de Sarenne, the second climb of the day, where a 22-man break has a lead of 4:20 over the Sky-led peloton.

Kevin Seeldrayers (Astana) led Thomas Damuseau (Argos-Shimano) and Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol) over the summit of the category 2 climb, which of course came almost immediately after the race had tackled l'Alpe d'Huez.

In something of a dry run for stage 18 of the Tour de France – when the peloton will climb l’Alpe d’Huez twice – today’s Dauphiné stage faced the climb not at the finish but in transit, after just 51km of racing. Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) led Damuseau and Seeldrayers at the prime for the mountains points, before the break veered right and off towards the Sarenne.

There is some solid climbing pedigree in this break, which went clear before the foot of l'Alpe d'Huez. Pierre Rolland - the last man to win on l'Alpe, at the 2011 Tour - is among them, as well as Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Sylvain Chavanel and Thomas De Gendt.

The break in full is as follows: Sergio Paulinho (Saxo-Tinkoff), Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol), Alexey Lutsenko, Kevin Seeldrayers (Astana), Ivan Santaromita (BMC), Laurent Didier, Tony Gallopin (RadioShack-Leopard), Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEdge), Jerome Coppel (Cofidis), Gorka Izaguirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Matteo Bono (Lampre-Merida), Pierre Rolland, David Veilleux (Europcar), Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale), Angel Madrazo, Eloy Teruel (Movistar), Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM), Nikias Arndt, Thomas Damuseau (Argos-Shimano), Arnaud Gérard (Bretagne-Seché) and David De la Cruz (NetApp-Endura).

There is some solid climbing pedigree in this break, which went clear before the foot of l'Alpe d'Huez. Pierre Rolland - the last man to win on l'Alpe, at the 2011 Tour - is among them, as well as Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Sylvain Chavanel and Thomas De Gendt.

The break in full is as follows: Sergio Paulinho (Saxo-Tinkoff), Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol), Alexey Lutsenko, Kevin Seeldrayers (Astana), Ivan Santaromita (BMC), Laurent Didier, Tony Gallopin (RadioShack-Leopard), Travis Meyer (Orica-GreenEdge), Jerome Coppel (Cofidis), Gorka Izaguirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Matteo Bono (Lampre-Merida), Pierre Rolland, David Veilleux (Europcar), Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale), Angel Madrazo, Eloy Teruel (Movistar), Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM), Nikias Arndt, Thomas Damuseau (Argos-Shimano), Arnaud Gérard (Bretagne-Seché) and David De la Cruz (NetApp-Endura).

Kevin Seeldraeyers (Astana) is the best-placed of the escapees on general classification. He began the day 16th overall, 3:30 down on Chris Froome (Sky), and is currently the virtual overall leader.

This was the state of the general classification picture as hostilities resumed this morning:

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 19:33:43
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:00:52
3 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp 0:00:54
4 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:01:37
5 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha 0:01:47
6 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:49
7 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:52
8 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:01:58
9 Leopold Konig (Cze) Team NetApp-Endura 0:02:16
10 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:02:20
11 Stef Clement (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:02:32
12 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:47
13 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:02:49
14 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 0:03:12
15 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack Leopard 0:03:24
16 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro Team 0:03:30
17 Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack Leopard 0:03:37
18 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ 0:03:41
19 Matthew Busche (USA) RadioShack Leopard 0:03:46
20 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:04:01

Today's stage is the first installment of the weekend double-header in the mountains that will decide this year's Dauphiné, even if Froome already seems in a very commanding position. After tackling l'Alpe d'Huez and the Col de Sarenne, the category 1 Col d'Ornon (101km) is next on the agenda. A long spell in the valley follows before the road kicks up again for the category 1 Col du Noyer (176km). After a short descent, the race heads straight into the short, sharp category climb to the finish at Superdévoluy.

103km remaining from 187km

Sky are setting the pace at the head of the peloton on the approach to the Col d'Ornon but for now, they seem happy simply to keep the break's advantage at around the four-minute mark.

Meanwhile, letour.fr reports that former Tour de France king of the mountains Anthony Charteau (Europcar) has abandoned the race. His leader Thomas Voeckler won yesterday's stage and spoke afterwards about his hopes that the team will continue in 2014. Sponsor Europcar has yet to decide if it will renew its involvement in the sport.

Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol) begins pushing the pace in the break as the Col d'Ornon begins and Madrazo, Veilleux, De Gendt and Sylvain Chavanel are quickly dropped from the leading group.

Back in the main peloton, Norwegian champion Edvald Boasson Hagen is on the front and setting a brisk tempo in support of Chris Froome.

The slopes of the Ornon are continuing to take their toll on the leading group, and Nikias Arndt and Matteo Bono are the next men to be dropped. Meanwhile, François Parisien (Argos-Shimano) and Benjamin Noval (Saxo-Tinkoff) have abandoned the race.

92km remaining from 187km

Approaching the summit of the Ornon, the sixteen leaders - still including Van Den Broeck, Rolland, Coppel, Seeldraeyers and Tony Gallopin - have an advantage of 5:05 over the main peloton.

86km remaining from 187km

World under-23 champion Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) leads the break over the summit of the Col d'Ornon, just ahead of Thomas Damuseau and his teammate Kevin Seeldraeyers.

Sylvain Chavanel may have been dropped early on the Col d'Ornon, but he settled into a steady rhythm on the climb and has managed to catch up to the leaders again on the descent, along with David Veilleux and Nikias Arndt (Argos-Shimano). The trio's return means that the leading group is now comprised of 19 riders.

77km remaining from 187km

With 77km still to race, the 19 leaders have an advantage of 5:05 over the peloton, which is still led by Team Sky. As things stand, Kevin Seeldraeyers (Astana) is the virtual overall leader. The Belgian was 3:30 behind Chris Froome this morning.

70km remaining from 187km

At the feed zone at Valbonnais, the break's lead is down to 4:30. Meanwhile, Fumiyuki Beppu (Orica-GreenEdge), Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha) and Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp-Endura) have all abandoned the Dauphiné. Incidentally, there were six non-starters this morning – Marco Pinotti (BMC), Kristjan Durasek (Lampre-Merida), Frantisek Rabon (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Elia Viviani (Cannondale), Leopold Konig (NetApp-Endura) and Paul Voss (NetApp-Endura).

Given that he is just after completing the Giro d’Italia, Viviani’s abandon was planned before the Dauphiné began, but illness has ended Konig and Voss’ races prematurely.
 

Illness has also transformed today's stage into something of a calvaire for FDJ's young climbing talent Kenny Elissonde. The Frenchman - who never travels to a race without some Émile Zola as part of his reading material - is currently languishing in front of the broom wagon.

While Elissonde battles to stay in the race, the spate of abandons continues apace. Three more riders have climbed off - Eros Capecchi (Movistar), Thomas Rohregger (RadioShack-Leopard) and Bart De Clerq (Lotto Belisol).

53km remaining from 187km

Team Sky and Saxo-Tinkoff are now massed at the front of the peloton and the break's lead has been reduced to 3:38 over the past 15 kilometres or so.

Ian Stannard, Edvald Boasson Hagen and Geraint Thomas are lined up on the front of the peloton for Team Sky and setting a steady tempo on a lengthy false flat. There are still some 25 kilometres to the foot of the Col du Noyer but there is scarcely a metre of flat in the valley that separates the bunch from the first category climb.

Chris Froome and Richie Porte both look comfortable a little further back, while Alberto Contador sits behind them, surrounded by a phalanx of his Saxo-Tinkoff teammates.

51km remaining from 187km

Sky have allowed the break's margin to yawn back out to 4:48. The 19 leaders are collaborating smoothly in the valley but their unity will be shattered as soon as the climbing resumes in earnest. The likes of Jurgen Van Den Broeck and Pierre Rolland in particular will surely start forcing the issue again on the Col du Noyer.

48km remaining from 187km

Ben Hermans (RadioShack-Leopard) crashes alone in the main peloton. The Belgian took a heavy tumble but he is quickly back on his bike.

48km remaining from 187km

Ben Hermans (RadioShack-Leopard) crashes alone in the main peloton. The Belgian attempted to remount but shortly afterwards letour.fr  confirms that he has abandoned the race.

43km remaining from 187km

Dark clouds are looming over the break as they approach the Col du Noyer and there are dark jerseys bearing down upon them from the main peloton. Team Sky's pace-setting has quickly shorn two minutes off their lead, and the 19 men up front now have just 2:30 in hand on the bunch.

Boasson Hagen and Stannard are the men who have been sitting on the front of the main peloton, and their efforts are dragging the nineteen-man break back. The leaders had been working well together but they have lost cohesion over the past ten kilometres or so, and it is proving very costly to their hopes of staying clear.

36km remaining from 187km

After Jurgen Van Den Broeck wins the intermediate sprint in Corps, the front group begins to fragment on a short descent, as Chavanel and De Marchi clip off the front.

Back in the main peloton, Sky have some reinforcements as Katusha hit the front in support of Dani Moreno and Joaquim Rodriguez.

32km remaining from 187km

Sylvain Chavanel and Alessandro De Marchi have stolen around 35 seconds on their erstwhile companions on the approach to the Noyer, and they have 2:50 in hand over the Katusha and Sky-led peloton.

Arndt and Veilleux have been swallowed up by the main peloton, who are closing in on the remnants of the early break. Chavanel and De Marchi are three minutes up the road and approaching the lower slopes of the Col du Noyer.

That was a well-timed move from Chavanel. Sensing the lull in the break - and mindful of how he had struggled on the Ornon - the Frenchman decided to punch his way up the road, and he and De Marchi now have 50 seconds in hand on their former companions, while the bunch is three minutes down.

Bernard Thevenet is in an organisation car behind the two leaders. The double Tour de France winner suffered from a heart complaint in April and was airlifted by helicopter to Tours to undergo surgery, and it's good to see that his recovery is progressing well.

 

25km remaining from 187km

Chavanel and De Marchi now have 1:15 over the remnants of the break and 2:45 over the yellow and blue jersey of Chris Froome.

Pierre Rolland (Europcar) would like to marshal the chase behind, but instead the unity of the group has been fragmented, and Chavanel and De Marchi are stretching out their advantage.

22km remaining from 187km

Chavanel and De Marchi begin the 11.3km climb of the Col du Noyer with 1:25 in hand on the Rolland group and 2:30 over the main peloton.

Chavanel draws alongside De Marchi to set down the ground rules for their collaboration on the climb, and then drifts to the front to begin imposing the rhythm.

Sky's men in black have taken up the reins again in the main peloton, with Geraint Thomas shooting to the front and stringing things out. Almost instantly, the gap to Chavanel and De Marchi drops to 1:45.

Rohan Dennis (Garmin-Sharp) and Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) are both well-placed near the head of the bunch, at the shoulder of Chris Froome.

As Thomas cranks out the tempo, Boasson Hagen swings over, his job done for the day.

Pierre Rolland is still leading a six-man group of chasers just ahead of the main peloton, but they are surely on the cusp of being swept up.

20km remaining from 187km

Jose Herrada (Movistar) attacks from the main peloton and Sky are happy to maintain their own tempo for now rather than shut him down.

Business as usual, it seems. Sky's train of men in black are picking off the remnants of the break and also jettisoning riders off the back of the main peloton. Up front, Chavanel and De Marchi are tapping out their tempo, but their lead is down to 1:03.

170km remaining from 187km

Vasil Kiryienka is grinding out the pace at the head of the bunch now, with Thomas sitting on his wheel, and Richie Porte and Chris Froome waiting in the wings behind. Kiryienka's tempo brings back Herrada, Paulinho and Santaromita. Only De Marchi and Chavanel remain up the road and their lead is down to 50 seconds.

170km remaining from 187km

Vasil Kiryienka is grinding out the pace at the head of the bunch now, with Thomas sitting on his wheel, and Richie Porte and Chris Froome waiting in the wings behind. Kiryienka's tempo brings back Herrada, Paulinho and Santaromita. Only De Marchi and Chavanel remain up the road and their lead is down to 50 seconds.

15km remaining from 187km

Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale) opts to go it alone and accelerates away from Chavanel with 4.5 kilometres still to go to the summit of the Col du Noyer. The Italian has a 44-second buffer over the rapidly-closing bunch, which is still led by Sky.

Rohan Dennis is still looking comfortable in this yellow jersey group, while Joaquim Rodriguez, Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde are all still in there.

Kiryienka swings over and lets Geraint Thomas take up the reins once again. As soon as he does, Alejdandro Valverde and Rodriguez attempt to slip clear, aided by Jose Herrada.

15km remaining from 187km

Valverde and Rodriguez have gained around 50 metres on the Sky train, but it doesn't seem as if they'll be allowed any more leeway than that.

A tired Sylvain Chavanel is swept up by the bunch, while Jurgen Van Den Broeck has been dropped. The Lotto man doesn't seem too concerned, sticking out his tongue and smiling for the television cameras. He returns to Sierra Nevada for another of his lengthy spells at altitude between now and the Tour de France.

15km remaining from 187km

Rodriguez and Valverde have been duly pegged back by Geraint Thomas' pace-setting. Alberto Contador is the next man to have a go - Jesus Hernandez attempts to drag him off the front, but once again, Thomas tows the Sky train up to his wheel.

All of this attacking is serving to shave more and more time off the plucky De Marchi's lead. The Italian's gap is down to 20 seconds and he is beginning to cast concerned glances over his shoulder.

The bobbing figure of Alberto Contador is at the front of the bunch but he is not forcing the issue. Instead, he is contasntly turning back to see how Chris Froome and Sky are bearing up, as well as his own teammate Michael Rogers.

14km remaining from 187km

Contador's tempo see De Marchi swept up. Gruppo compatto at the front, although this yellow jersey group is down to just 20 riders or so, with Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) the latest man to be dropped.

13km remaining from 187km

Rohan Dennis (Garmin-Sharp) has lost contact with this yellow jersey group, which is led by Contador and still includes Michael Rogers (Saxo-Tinkoff), Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, Peter Kennaugh, Richie Porte (Sky), Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and Jacob Fuglsang (Astana).

12km remaining from 187km

Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) attacks from the yellow jersey group and gains around five bike lengths. Contador continues to lead the group but he opted to maintain his tempo rather than try to match Sanchez's acceleration.

12km remaining from 187km

Less than a kilometre from the top of the climb and Pete Kennaugh (Sky) has been dropped from the leading roup, which is down to a dozen or so riders. Contador is setting the pace in the group, ahead of Rogers. Dani Moreno and Laurens ten Dam are also still in there, along with Froome, Porte, Rodriguez et al.

Not surprisingly, given the stint he has put in this afternoon, Thomas is the next man to crack, and Froome now has just Porte for company. The dancing figure of Contador still leads Rogers, then come Porte, Froome, Fuglsang, Moreno, Rodriguez and Valverde.

Samuel Sanchez has around ten seconds in hand on the elite front group as he approaches the summit of the climb.

11km remaining from 187km

Jacob Fuglsang (Astana) jumps across to Sanchez as they crest the summit. The Dane is doubtless hoping he can put some ground into Froome on the 7km descent that brings them to the foot of the final climb, the category 3 Superdévoluy.

Richie Porte is piloting Froome on the descent, while Contador is looking to guide Rogers. The yellow jersey group is ten seconds down on Fuglsang and Sanchez as leaden drops of rain begin to fall.

8km remaining from 187km

Sanchez and Fuglsang have 12 seconds in hand on a yellow jersey group composed of Froome, Porte, Contador, Rogers, Valverde, Rodriguez, Moreno, Dani Navarro (Cofidis) and Stef Clement (Blanco).

Rogers, Moreno and Navarro all stand to gain ground on Rohan Dennis, who was dropped almost two kilometres from the summit of the Col du Noyer.

Fuglsang and Sanchez are positively hurtling down this descent, and have stretched their lead out to 20 seconds. Valverde attempted to inject some pace into the pursuit, but he has since relented and once again it is Alberto Contador who takes up the reins.

5km remaining from 187km

Notable absentees from the yellow jersey group are Dennis, Michal Kwiatoski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), but Thomas, Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Laurens ten Dam (Blanco) are attempting to claw their way back on to the group on this descent.

4km remaining from 187km

Sanchez and Fuglsang begin the final climb with an 18-second lead over the yellow jersey group, where Contador is still setting the pace.

3km remaining from 187km

Samuel Sanchez's face is betraying real signs of suffering as he battles to hold Fuglsang's wheel on the climb.

The bobbing Contador leads Rogers, while the yellow jersey of Froome sits comfortably in the wheels for now.

3km remaining from 187km

Fuglsang and Sanchez are suffering but holding firm for now. With 3km to go, they have a 22-second margin over the chasers.

Nobody is daring to lend Contador a hand in the leading the pursuit. The Spaniard looks over his shoulder once again and to get a better idea of how Froome is holding up. So far, the Sky rider has seemed comfortable.

2km remaining from 187km

Fuglsang climbs out of the saddle and edges away from Sanchez, but the Spaniard grits his teeth and shuts down the gap.

2km remaining from 187km

As the leaders' margin stretches out to 27 seconds, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) takes matters in hand himself and accelerates out of the chase group. Contador doesn't lift his tempo.

1km remaining from 187km

Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) is the next man to rip away from the yellow jersey group, but Contador stays dedicated to setting the pace for Rogers and does not respond immediately.

1km remaining from 187km

Fuglsang and Sanchez come under the red kite with 27 seconds in hand on the chasers.

Navarro and Rodriguez are caught with 900 metres to go, and Richie Porte (Sky) has now shot out of the yellow jersey group in lone pursuit of Sanchez and Fuglsang.

But Sanchez and Fuglsang have the gap and they line up shoulder to shoulder to sprint for stage victory...

Sanchez kicks with 200 metres to go and leads in to the final bend.

Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) wins stage 7 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, beating Jacob Fuglsang (Astana) into second place.

Richie Porte (Sky) comes home in 3rd, 15 seconds down and just ahead of Dani Moreno (Katusha). The yellow jersey group finishes 16 seconds down on Sanchez, although Contador was distanced in the finishing straight. He crossed the line 10th, 23 seconds down.

Chris Froome, of course, retains the overall lead, 51 seconds ahead of Porte, while Michael Rogers moves up to third overall after Rohan Dennis lost ground. Dennis drops to 9th overall, 2:48 down.

Result:

1 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 00:5:26:14
2 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
3 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 00:00:15
4 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha Team 00:00:16
5 Stef Clement (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team
6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
7 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling
8 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
9 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
10 Alberto Contador (Spa) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 00:00:23
 

General classification:

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 25:00:13
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 00:00:51
3 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 00:01:37
4 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha Team 00:01:47
5 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 00:01:49
6 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 00:02:04
7 Stef Clement (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 00:02:32
8 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 00:02:47
9 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin - Sharp 00:02:48
10 Alberto Contador (Spa) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 00:02:56

Thanks for joining us for today's live coverage on Cyclingnews. We'll back with more tomorrow, but in the meantime, you can see a full report, results and pictures here.

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Latest on Cyclingnews