Critérium du Dauphiné 2011: Stage 3

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January 1 - June 12, Grenoble, France, Road - UPT (ProTour)

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Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews's live coverage from the Critérium du Dauphiné. Today it's an individual time trial in Grenoble.

The course is 42.5km in length but the most interesting aspect is that it's the same TT course that will be on show in this year's Tour de France.

Bernard Thévenet:

Vino currently leads the race by 11 seconds
 

While two big hitters are currently out on the road. Tony Martin and Dave Zabriskie. Martin leads at the second time check with the American 35 seconds down.

And Zabriskie comes over the line next. The US TT champ has put in a decent ride but he's still 58 seconds down on Martin. Can anyone trouble the German?

Zabriskie didn't seem to slow too much at the end, he simply lost time consistently to Martin.

Meanwhile Ivan Basso has just rolled out from the start house. The Italian is finding his feet after a crash on Mt Etna cut him and his face to shreds. He's been off the pace so far, losing time on each stage. This will be a good test to see exactly where his form is and how much work he still has to do before the Tour de France starts in just over three weeks.

Tony Martin's average speed was 45.98km/h in case you wanted to know.

Wresta and Uran currently sit on the top five at the finish. They'll drop down I'm sure, but still that's two good rides from both men.

Edvald Boasson Hagen has just gone through the first time check in third place, 35 seconds down on his ex-teammate Tony Martin. The Norwegian was third here in the TT last year.

Hagen has gone through the second time check at 27km, 50 seconds down on Martin and in third place. What's he got left between now and the finish?

Degenkolb, yesterday's stage winner has just started his TT.

And Hagen comes over the line in second place. He made up time on DZ in the final few kms but he's still 43 seconds down on Martin.

Bouet is on a good ride. He's just gone through the first time check in fourth place.

That's a shocker for Basso. 6:16 down on Martin. Big question marks about the Italian ahead of the Tour de France.

53 riders yet to start this race, Martin still leads but the likes of Wiggins, Vino, Boom, Evans and Brajkovic still to come.

The rain is still coming down. That could be a big factor. If it stops then Martin's time will be under even more threat. Geraint Thomas has just left the start house.

Boom is coming to the line. The course a lot longer than the TT he won earlier this week. He'll be well down by the time he gets over the line. 5:35 down.

Gesink is also out on the road right now. He's down on GC by around 2 minutes so the Dauphine overall is beyond him but he's building up steadily before the Tour. This year he'll b Rabobank's main man for GC.

Bouet is coming to the line, a strong finish by the Frenchman, just under 3 minutes down on Martin, but into the top ten for the stage so far.

Martin is over ten minutes down on GC so he won't threaten the likes of Vino for the leader's jersey.

Gesink isn't taking any risks on the corners in these conditions. Roy meanwhile has come over the line in 5th, 2:37 down on Martin.

Gesink has gone through the second time check , 2:32 down on Martin.  He really is cautious on the corners. With the Tour just over three weeks away you can understand why.

On the flat sections Gesink is going a bit harder but he's not even keen on taking the most aero position on the bars.

US road champion Busche is coming to the line with a decent time. He's still got some of his form from California and the national, finishing 2:45 down on Martin.

Brajkovic is now out on the course. Wearing number one from last year and the sun is coming out and the rain has gone. That might really help the late starters trying to beat Martin's time.

Roche about to start his TT. Big test for the Irishman. He's always struggled in long TTs so if he wants to crack the top 5 in the Tour this year he has to step up.

Gesink 2:48. in 8th place. That's a good performance.

Wiggo, Vino still to come in the TT as Brajkovic reaches part of the tougher sections on the course. The roads are dry on this section.

Wiggins in the start house. Top three in the prologue, but can he knock Martin off top spot? It's going to be a big ask but Wiggins is one of the riders who could do it.

Jurgen Van Den Broeck leaves the start house.

Vino, the race leader, starts his TT. Wiggins is the biggest threat on GC for the Astana leader. The Brit is 3rd, 11 seconds down on GC.

Riblon is coming to the line now and this is a good time from the French AG2R man. 57:04 and into fourth place. That's very impressive.

While back down the course Van den Broeck is wearing a polka dot skin suit. It just looks wrong.

Cadel Evans is looking strong but we're yet to get any time check from him or Wiggins.

Wiggins is tearing through tight roads and giving it everything. This would be a huge win for him ahead of the Tour de France. He can of course take over the race lead without winning the stage.

Time check all over the place because Thomas is about to come over the line and he's into 4th.

Wiggins, Vino, Evans all still to come though. Wiggins was 21 seconds down at the first time check. VDB was 1:30 down at the same point.

Vino 1:21 down so Wiggins is currently riding himself into the leader's jersey.

Evans out of the saddle on one of the climbs. He's moving into second or third place on GC.

Vino is suffering, he's 49 seconds down on Wiggins after 15km of racing.

Samuel Sanchez cam over the line a few minutes ago, around 3 minutes down on Martin.

The rain has started to come down again. Not sure it will change too much for the riders still out there. The stage will almost certainly go to Martin, HTC's second win in two days, the major battle is for the overall. Vino, Wiggins, Evans, JVB all still yet to finish. We can't forget Brajkovic either.

Evans has just caught his minute man Roche.

39:29. Wiggins has the same time check as Martin at the second time check. The stage is back on.

Brajkovic is 1:12 off the pace at the second time check.

Wiggins is taking few risks on the corners though. Wiggins vs Martin for the stage win.
 

2:11 down for Vino at the second time check. His stay in yellow is truly over.

Brajkovic comes to the line. he'll take 4th, 1:36 down. That's not a bad ride.

Back onto dry roads for Wiggins as he heads towards the lead in the race. The big question is whether he can hold off Tony Martin for the stage win.

Evans coming the line, he's not really distanced Roche to be fair. Evans crosses the line 5th, 1:19 down.

Roche is 40th.

Here comes Wiggins.

Martin will get the stage.

The German finished 10.74 seconds faster.

Vino still to finish the stage. He'll lose yellow, as JVB comes up the line.

Van den Broeck 16th at 2:39. Not a bad time at all for the Belgian climber.

2:17 in 14th place for Vino.

1. Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad 0:55:28
2. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky 0:10
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky 0:43
4. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Cervélo 00:58
5. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) RadioShack 1:17
6. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC 1:20
7. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky 1:36
8. Christophe Riblon (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale 1:37
9. Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis 1:55
10. Rui Costa (Por) Movistar 1:59

A great ride from Martin, who went out early and set the best time. Wiggins, Hagen, Evans, Zabriskie all put in strong rides but couldn't beat the German.

1 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky 8:41:37
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC 1:11
3 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) RadioShack 1:21
4 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana 1:56
5 Rui Costa (Por) Movistar 2:12
6 Geraint Thomas (GBr) 2:25
7 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 2:28
8 Christophe Riblon (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale 2:45
9 Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack 2:46
10 Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur Sojasun 2:52

So some big time gaps today and the race is wide open. Wiggins leads with Evans over a minute back. The Brit might be disappointed to miss out on the stage but he can console himself with the leader's jersey.

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