Vichot victorious in Rumilly

Arthur Vichot (FDJ-Big Mat) took the biggest win of his career as he claimed stage 5 of the Criterium du Dauphine with a fine solo move inside the final six kilometres.

The 23-year-old Frenchman was part of an early breakaway move on the 186.5km stage from Saint-Trivier-sur-Moignans to Rumilly and after reeling in an attack from Saxo Bank’s Daniel Navarro, soloed to the line with a 26-second advantage over Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Dmitriy Fofonov (Astana).

Race leader Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) remains in the yellow jersey but was put under pressure when Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) broke clear midway through the stage. Evans’s roll of the dice on the descent of the Grand Colombier at one point threatened to blow the race apart, as armed with three teammates and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannonale) for company, Sky was forced onto the defensive as the gap rose to over a minute.

The danger was put to bed as Sky and BMC went toe-to-toe, with Wiggins himself shutting down the move. However, with two demanding stages still to come it proved that Sky will have to fight all way to the finish if Wiggins is to retain his Dauphine title.

Wiggins continues to lead Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) by 38 seconds with Sky teammate Michael Rogers holding third overall at 1:20. Evans remains in fourth overall at 1:44, one second ahead of Wilco Kelderman (Rabobank) in fifth place.

After yesterday’s time trial the Dauphine changed focus, switching to the mountains. Any chance of a soft tempo start was put to bed when a number of riders attacked almost from the gun. The pace immediately had an effect with Vuelta winner Juan Jose Cobo (Movistar) dropped and Stijn Devolder (Vacansoleil-DCM) abandoning on the Côte de Corlier.

Once over the summit eight riders were finally allowed clear by the policing Sky line, with Dmitriy Fofonov (Astana), Kevin Reza (Europcar), José Sarmiento (Liquigas-Cannondale), Rémi Di Gregorio (Cofidis), Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Arthur Vichot (FDJ-BigMat), Daniel Navarro (Saxo Bank) and Fabrice Jeandesbosz (Saur-Sojasun) forming the day's first escape.

The gap peaked at six minutes at the foot of the Grand Colombier with Sky leading the bunch. Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), Philippe Gilbert (BMC) and Juan Jose Cobo found the pace too high and were among the riders unable to hang onto Sky’s coattails.

Europcar was intent on making the stage and Christophe Kern attacked from the peloton as Sky's Danny Pate and Christian Knees sat up having done their pace-setting for Wiggins. Brice Feillu (Saur-Sojasun) joined Kern as Reza, the rider who initiated the day’s break, fell back.

With Sarmiento leading the break over the top of the Grand Colombier Sky appeared in control, but on the tricky descent Evans pounced, showcasing the descending skill that helped win him last year’s Tour. Together with Kern, Feillu, BMC teammates George Hincapie, Michael Schär and Tejay Van Garderen, Andrey Kashechkin (Astana), Davide Malacarne (Europcar), AG2R-La Mondiale's Maxime Bouet and Mickael Chérel, plus Liquigas-Cannondale's Vincenzo Nibali, Dominique Nerz and Maciej Paterski, the Australian established a minute's buffer on the yellow jersey.

But Edvald Boasson Hagen, Sky’s sprinter, set pace in the Wiggins group, matching BMC’s efforts until the lead dropped to just 30 seconds. Richie Porte, another of Sky’s excellent all-rounders, took over on the Col de Richemond. With the gap under 15 seconds Wiggins himself took off, cutting through the gap until he was firmly on Evans’s back wheel. As a show of strength it was impressive, as a show of tactical nous it put an end to BMC’s games.

Although the GC battle had concluded, the stage was still wide open and with 25km remaining the Di Gregorio group held a 55-second advantage over the yellow jersey group.

RadioShack and Europcar replaced Sky’s persistent occupation at the head of the field but when Daniel Navarro attacked inside of eight kilometres to go it was clear that the winner would come from the break.

The Spaniard was only able to draw a slender 20 meter gap before Vichot attacked and passed him with 6km to go to claim France’s first Dauphine stage win since Kern in Les Gets last year.