Critérium du Dauphiné 2015: Stage 3

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January 1 - June 14, Roanne, France, Road - WorldTour

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Live coverage of stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, a 24.5-kilometre team time trial from Roanne to Montagny.

The Critérium du Dauphiné, then the Dauphiné Libéré, last featured a team time trial all the way back in 1980, when Miko-Mercier’s victory over the 15km leg to Hurigny was enough to put Christian Seznec into the overall lead. After a 35-year hiatus, the discipline returns this afternoon in no small part because each year the Dauphiné positions itself ever more firmly as the Tour de France preparation of reference. With a 28km team time trial featuring on this year’s Tour route, it was hardly surprising that ASO saw fit to include a similar - though by no means identical – test in the Dauphiné parcours this time out.

The teams set out at three-minute intervals in the reverse order of their position in the team classification. FDJ are the first team down the start ramp, at 13.15 local time, while the Sky squad of race leader Peter Kennaugh will be the final starters, at 14.15.

 

Today's team time trial is, on paper at least, a more straightforward affair than the challenge that awaits in Brittany on stage 9 of the Tour. There are no significant climbs on the parcours from Roanne to Montagny, though there is a steady gain in elevation on the back end of a course replete with false flats. There are some technical sections early on but nothing to cause undue difficulty, one imagines. The intermediate time check comes after 14 kilometres. By contrast, the Tour team time trial from Vannes to Plumelec is a rugged run through the Morbihan and features a stinging climb to the finish at the end of its 28 kilometres. And, of course, coming more than a week into the Tour, there is no guarantee that every team will have a full complement of nine riders...

One team without its full complement today is Lampre-Merida. Sasha Modolo, winner of two stages at the Giro d'Italia, is a non-starter.

FDJ have begun their effort. Interestingly, Thibaut Pinot and the core their Tour de France team have skipped the Dauphiné this year and will instead ride the Tour de Suisse.

BMC were the third team down the start ramp and they should provide an early reference point. Their line-up today features four of the riders who helped them to win the Worlds team time trial in Ponferrada last September - Tejay van Garderen is accompanied by Rohan Dennis, Manuel Quinziato and Daniel Oss this afternoon.

Vincenzo Nibali's Astana squad are the next team to set out on an overcast but dry afternoon. The Kazakhstani outfit performed at a startlingly high level during the Giro d'Italia and, on paper at least, their Tour unit is perhaps even stronger. Today Nibali is missing a couple of the men likely to be by his side in July, however. Jakob Fuglsang, for instance, will lead Astana at the Tour de Suisse next week.

As Movistar take the start ramp, here's a reminder of the general classification after stage 2. Sasha Modolo, remember, will reportedly not start today's team time trial.

Alessandro Vanotti and Dmitriy Gruzdev are already flagging at the back of Astana's octet. Five kilometres in, Gruzdev has been dropped by his teammates.

FDJ have reached the 14km check point in a time of 17:07. Giant-Alpecin and BMC will be the next two teams through that point.

Astana's formation has been a bit disjointed in the early kilometres. Lars Boom comes to the front and puts in a long turn in a bid to restore some order.

Giant-Alpecin hit the 14km marker in 16:42, 25 seconds quicker than FDJ.

Tony Martin and Etixx-QuickStep are the next squad to take the start, and they immediately settle into formation.

John Gadret sways from side to side at the rear of the Movistar line as Alex Dowsett sets the tempo. Dowsett lost his Hour Record to Bradley Wiggins over the weekend, but his coach Steve Collins has questioned the validity of Wiggins' bike. You can read more

BMC scorch through the intermediate time check in a time of 15:56, some 46 seconds quicker than Giant-Alpecin at the 14km point. As expected, van Garderen and company will be the early reference for Etixx-QuickStep, Sky et al.

Trek Factory Racing can't get close to BMC at the time check. Bauke Mollema and his teammates flash through some 44 seconds behind.

Despite Gruzdev's early travails, Astana have steadied the ship well. They are just four seconds down on BMC at the 14km mark.

Etixx-QuickStep, meanwhile, have already lost two riders. Niki Terpstra and Martin Velits have been blown out the back, while David De La Cruz is flagging too.

FDJ cross the line with the minimum of five riders and an average speed just over 46kph. BMC will be comfortably inside their time of 31:34.

It hasn't been the best of starts for Movistar either. They reach the 14km point with the third best time to date, already 18 seconds down on BMC.

BMC reach the finish down to the bare minimum of five riders but with the quickest time to date. 29:58 is the time, some 1:18 quicker than Giant-Alpecin.

Orica-GreenEdge are usually a formidable outfit in the team time trial, but they are missing quite a few of the big engines who carried them to victory in the opening TTT at each of the past Giri d'Italia. Simon Gerrans and Simon and Adam Yates are among their number this afternoon, as they surely will be at the Tour de France.

Etixx-QuickStep are limiting the damage at the intermediate time check, though they will have their work cut out to overhaul BMC. Tony Martin brings them to the 14km mark 11 seconds down with the third best time.

Astana have finished their effort strongly but they have to settle for provisional second place. Nibali's men were four seconds down at the 14km mark and the deficit stayed more or less stable for the final 10km of the course. Nibali is among the five Astana riders who cross the line in 30:02, for an average speed just shy of 49kph.

Movistar made up a lot of ground on BMC over the back end of the course, and they cross the finish line with the third best time to date, just five seconds behind. Like all of the finishers to date, Movistar hit the line with just the minimum five riders. The steady gain in elevation over the second half of the course is taking its toll this afternoon.

Joaquim Rodriguez's Katusha team hit the intermediate time check already some 35 seconds down on BMC, incidentally. IAM Cycling are the next team to take the start and there are just four more - Tinkoff-Saxo, Bora-Argon 18, Cannondale-Garmin and Sky - to follow after them.

A disappointing outing for Etixx-QuickStep comes to an end as Tony Martin brings them across the line in a time of 30:16 , more than 17 seconds off the mark established by BMC.

Orica-GreenEdge reach the intermediate check point with the 6th best time to date, already 20 seconds down on BMC. Lotto-Soudal went through just before them with the fourth best time so far, 15 seconds behind.

Cannondale-Garmin have a sizeable chunk of their Tour de France team here, including Andrew Talansky and Dan Martin, who

Katusha come home in a time of 31:03, meaning that Joaquim Rodriguez has conceded over a minute in the battle for overall honours.

Chris Froome, yellow jersey Peter Kennaugh and Team Sky set out on their effort, the last of the 21 squads to start.

LottoNL-Jumbo reach the finish with the 5th best time so far, 54 seconds down on BMC.

Romain Bardet and Ag2r-La Mondiale reach the 14km mark already 40 seconds down on BMC.

If BMC hold on to win the stage (and finish 12 seconds up on Team Sky), Rohan Dennis would take possession of the yellow jersey. Manuel Quinziato was their best-placed man on GC this morning, but the Italian was not among the five riders who reached the finish together here.

Orica-GreenEdge have shed three riders in the final kilometres and they hit the finish in 30:21, the fifth best time thus far.

Tinkoff-Saxo are lining up with the vast majority of its Tour team, and there's little surprise as they hit the intermediate mark with the 16th best time, already 54 seconds behind BMC.

Tinkoff-Saxo are lining up without the vast majority of the Tour team, and there's little surprise as they hit the intermediate mark with the 16th best time, already 54 seconds behind BMC.

Bardet and Ag2r-La Mondiale reach the finish in 30:58, good enough for the 8th best time of the day thus far, albeit almost a minute off BMC.

Sky have lost Wout Poels and Ian Strannard, while Nicolas Roche looks to be struggling at the rear of the line.

Cannondale-Garmin have limited their losses in the opening segment of the course, and they come through the intermediate check in 7th place, 20 seconds down on BMC.

At the finish, Lampre-Merida have clocked the sixth best time, 47 seconds down on BMC, enough to keep Rui Costa just about in contact in his bid for overall honours. The Portuguese has won the Tour de Suisse in each of the past three years, but has opted for the Dauphine this time around.

As it stands, Rohan Dennis looks set to take the overall lead this afternoon. Sky go through the 14km mark with the fifth best time, 17 seconds down on BMC...

Sky are already down to just five riders, too. Luke Rowe is the latest man to be jettisoned out the back. The men in black have been left no further room for error here, and they will be hard pressed to defend Kennaugh's overall lead at this juncture.

Philip Deignan, Roche and Ian Boswell make up the trio of Sky riders left with Kennaugh and Froome for the final ten kilometres of this team time trial.

Tinkoff-Saxo bring an end to a non-descript showing as they reach the finish in 16th place, 1:30 down on BMC.

Andrew Talansky's long turn on the front splits Cannondale-Garmin's five remaining riders. Eventually he turns and realises that he needs to wait for Dan Martin to pace Jack Bauer back on.

Froome and Kennaugh are putting in longer and longer turns on the front for Sky as they reach the final three kilometres. Defending Dauphine champion Talansky, meanwhile, has led Cannondale-Garmin for most of the closing two kilometres.

Cannondale-Garmin cross the line in provisional 6th place with a time of 30:41, almost 43 seconds down on BMC.

Sky are the sole team left out on the road. They won't overhaul BMC's team and they'll struggle to make up the ground needed to defend Kennaugh's lead.

Froome takes over as the road climbs in the final kilometre. He rides conservatively to ensure Sky's five survivors stay together.

Kennaugh leads Sky across the line with the sixth best time on the day, 34 seconds down on BMC, and the Manxman loses his yellow jersey to Rohan Dennis.

Result:

Result:

General classification:

Rohan Dennis takes possession of the yellow jersey but the day's real winner from a general classification point of view is his teammate Tejay van Garderen, who will approach the mountains four seconds up on Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and five up on Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) - but 35 seconds clear of Chris Froome (Sky), 43 up on defending champion Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Garmin) and 1:05 ahead of Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha).

Van Garderen currently lies second overall, on the same time as Dennis. “It went great. We finished with five guys, so we were on the limit at the end, but that shows we gave it everything,” the American said as he waited to mount the podium. “I feel good. This was the first big test of the Dauphiné, and going into the mountains I feel ready to put up a good challenge. It’s a good warning short going into July.”

Thanks for joining our live coverage of today's team time trial. A full report, results and pictures will follow here, as well as all the news and reaction from a pivotal day at the Dauphiné. We'll be back with more live coverage tomorrow on Cyclingnews tomorrow as the peloton faces into the 228km stage from Anneyron to Sisteron.

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