Criterium du Dauphine 2016: Stage 7

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January 1 - June 12, Le-Pont-de-Claix, France, Road - WorldTour

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Hello and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of the seventh and final stage of the 2016 Criterium du Dauphine.

 

 Bonjour! As we kick off out live coverage, the riders are lined up ready for the start.

Today's final stage is over 151km from Le Pont de Claix near Grenoble to Superdévoluy. It is a tough final day with six categorised climbs.

The final two climbs are expected to inspire any final attacks and attempts to take the race lead and yellow jersey from Chris Froome.  

The Team Sky rider leads former teammate Richie Porte by 21 seconds, with Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale) third, also at 21 seconds after his aggressive ride and second place on Saturday.

They're off! The riders have set iff for the final effort of the Dauphine. 

150 riders started the stage. The three non-starters are Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto-Soudal), Enrico Gasparotto and Björn Thurau (Wanty-Groupe Gobert).

The riders face a 10-minute neutralised ride to the kilometre 0 start point.

The flag has been dropped and the race is live! Cyclingnews will have all the action from the stage via our live coverage.

The attacks have started.

The flag has been dropped and the race is live! Cyclingnews will have all the action from the stage via our live coverage.

The flag has been dropped and the race is live! Cyclingnews will have all the action from the stage via our live coverage.

Oliver Naesen (IAM Cycling) is the first to try his hand but is quickly caught.

The riders are fighting to get in the break before the first climb of the day: the Côte de Montreynard (cat. 2) at km 13.5.

The riders are fighting to get in the break before the first climb of the day: the Côte de Montreynard (cat. 2) at km 13.5.

Oliver Naesen (IAM Cycling) was the first to attack but was quickly caught. 

As the climb begins we have more attacks. 

Jack Haig (Orica-GreenEdge) and Bartosz Huzarski (Bora-Argon 18) make a big effort but they are also pulled back.

As the climbs rises at 5% the peloton is back together but the pace is high.  

The high pace is hurting some riders at the back. Sprinter Alexander Kristoff is just one of the stragglers.

More attacks and more chasing. This time Jérôme Coppel (IAM Cycling) and Dani Navarro (Cofidis) go clear and are chased by Bartosz Huzarski (Bora-Argon 18). 

Navarro is the first to the top of the côte de Monteynard but a group of chasers is only 25 seconds back with the peloton breathing down their necks. 

As expected the splits have sparked a reaction. The peloton is all back together.  

These are attacks are a taste of what is to come.

Now we have an interesting group of riders fighting for the stage victory.

In the move are Wout Poels (Team Sky), Robert Kiserlovski (Tinkoff), Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Laurens De Plus (Etixx-Quick Step), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Pierre Rolland (Cannondale) and Tsgabu Grmay (Lampre-Merida).

De Gendt pushes out alone as the others are pulled back. 

Another attack and another change. Now a group of 14 riders are on the attack.

They have a lead of a minute but will Team Sky let it go? 

Perhaps the 14 have a chance. Jérémy Roy (FDJ) is the first to the summit of the Côte des Terrasses (cat. 3) at km 33.5 and so helps protects Thibaut Pinot's climber's jersey.

The attack has grown to 20 riders. In there are Robert Kiserlovski (Tinkoff), Jérémy Roy (FDJ), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), Ben Gastauer (AG2R-La Mondiale), Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge), Jurgen Van den Broeck (Katusha), Tony Gallopin and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Stephen Cummings and Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data), Ryder Hesjedal (Trek-Segafredo), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Romain Sicard (Direct Energie), Jack Bauer and Tom-Jelte Slagter (Cannondale), Jérôme Coppel (IAM Cycling), Bartosz Huzarski and Paul Voss (Bora-Argon 18) and Tsgabu Grmay (Lampre-Merida).

Many of those riders were also on the attack on Saturday, meaning they face another day of pain. 

Behind Team Sky is setting the pace but the peloton is now 50 seconds back.

Despite a lot of climbing the first hour was covered at a fast pace of 37.9km/h. Ouch!

The 20 leaders now have a gap of 1:35 on the Team Sky led peloton.

The gap is up to 2:25. It seems we have the break of the day.

After missing the break, the Etixx-QuickStep team is also helping with the chase but the gap is up to 3:00.

This middle section of the stage is on rolling roads but without any classified climbs. 

There are some talented riders in the attack that could go on to win the stage today.

Ryder Hesjedal (Trek-Segafrdo) is one of them. He quit the Giro d'Italia with problems but would surely like to end the first part of his season with a win.

Jurgen Van den Broeck (Katusha) could also be a threat today. The Belgian has a strong pedigree in stage races.

Frenchman Jérôme Coppel (IAM Cycling) was one of the first to attack today. He is a stage race rider and was fifth overall in the 2010 Dauphine.

Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) is also in the break today. He likes to stay low and ride at the back of the peloton before picking his attacks carefully. 

Niki Terpstra and Stijn Vandenbergh are doing the hard work for Etixx-Quickstep and have helped pull the break back to 1:45. 

The average speed remains high for the second hour despite the rolling roads. The average is 39.5km/h for the first two hours.  

71km remaining from 151km

The intense racing has already sparked several retirements. Purito Rodriguez (Katusha), Bauke Mollema (Trek), Paulinho (Tinkoff), Calmejane, Hurel and Nauleau (Direct Energie) and Degand (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) have all quit the race early on.

A wild horse has caused some panic in the race but was not a danger. 

Cummings has carved out a lead of 30 seconds on the rest of the 20-rider break.

Cummings took off on the col de Moissière (cat. 1) at km 102.5. His attack has blown the breakaway into several pieces.

The peloton is currently at 2:20.

Cummings is spinning his gear and carefully controlling his effort.

Behind the Etixx-Quickstep team is still leading the chase, giving a big hand to Team Sky, as the Belgian team defends its own GC interests and tries to win the stage with Martin and Alaphilippe.

AS you may have seen, Enrico Gasaparotto and Bjorn Thurau -both of the Wanty Groupe Gobert team, did not start the stage. They reportedly were stopped after tests revealed they had low cortisol levels. 

Cummings has gained time on the Col de Moissière. He took the climbers point 1:40 ahead of Tsgabu Grmay (Lampre-Merida). Both are now on the descent and the valley road to the final climbs of the stage.

Several other riders are further back with the peloton at 4:05.

36km remaining from 151km

Tony Martin is doing a big shift for Etixx-Quickstep at the head of the peloton. However the gap to Cummings is now at 4:10.

30km remaining from 151km

Cummings is tucked over his bars in an aero position.

Froome has just taken a natural break and seems in total control at the moment. any attacks on his race lead will come on the climb up to the finish.

20km remaining from 151km

Cummings starts the Col du Noyer -7.5 kilometre-long climb at 8.4%. It is followed by the 3.8 kilometre-long climb at 5.9% up to the finish.

Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) won yesterday's stage but is currently at the back of the Froome peloton, which consists of 50 or so riders. 

The Froome peloton is sweeping up riders from the break but Cummings seems on a ride. 

The speed set by Etixx is hurting several riders, including Pinot, who is swinging off the back. 

15km remaining from 151km

14km remaining from 151km

Cummings is near the summit of the climb but has limited his losses. The road is narrow and twisting. 

Attack! Contador goes for it!

Contador has a gap. Poels went with him but Froome has been forced to move too. 

Contador always fights to the end and is looking to crack Froome and Team Sky. 

Contador is fighting the gradient as Henao tries to drag Froome and the others across the gap. 

Henao has gone. It is up to Froome, Porte and a few others to chase Contador now.

Froome, Porte and Bardet get on Contador's wheel but the gloves are off in this final round fight at the Dauphine.

Dan Martin is fighting to limit his losses to the four up front. He is 15 seconds back.

Froome, Bardet, Contador and Porte pass the summit, with Badet making a late attack. 

It's a mano a mano finale to the race.

Martin has been joined by Yates, Diego Rosa (Astana) and Louis Meinjtes (Lampre-Merida).

5km remaining from 151km

The GC is far from decided with Froome, Contador, Porte and Bardet fighting for every second.

Contador is leading the quartet on the descent.

The Froome quartet is about to be joined by Martin, Yates, Rosa and Meintjes.

2km remaining from 151km

Froome is talking to Porte. He has also been joined by three teammates. He seems in control after Contador's attack set the alarm bells ringing.

The final 2km of climbing will decide the final podium at the Dauphine.

Cummings passes under the red kite with 1km to go. He's on the way to another important victory.

Cummings smiles and gives a thumbs up to the TV camera. This is an important win for the British rider and his Dimension Data team, who needs as many WorldTour points as possible. 

Cummings approaches the finish and gives a timid wave of celebration. He wins the final stage! 

Attack by Rolland but he struggles to get away as they reach the final kilometre.

Now Sky ups the pace to stop other attacks. 

There will be a sprint for time bonuses and points.

There is only six seconds between Yates and Alaphilippe.

Martin attacks! The riders are lined out. 

Martin is strong and powers to the line to finish second. He could move up to second place.

Froome finishes just behind and is confirmed the winner of the Dauphine. 

There were several gaps in the line of riders and just a one second gap will be enough to bump Porte down the GC. 

Romain Bardet (AG2R) is confirmed as third on the stage behind Cummings and Martin.

Porte is shown as finishing five seconds back on Martin. That means Bardet is second overall behind Froome, with Martin third overall. 

Froome has given Team Sky a fifth victory at the Dauphine. Can he and they go on to win the Tour de France too?  

Froome is confirmed as winning by 12 seconds ahead of Bardet, Martin moves up to third overall at 19 seconds, with Porte slipping to fourth at 21 seconds.

Contador finished fifth at 35 seconds. However his placing was enough to give him the lead in the UCI WorldTour rankings.

It's a hugely successful day for Dimension Data.

Cummings won the stage, Edvald Boasson Hagen won the green points jersey plus a stage and Daniel Teklehaimanot won the red polka-dot climber's jersey. 

This is the provisional top ten of the stage. 

And the final general classification after stage 7.

Cummings spoke briefly before climbing on the podium as stage winner.

Thanks for joining us for live coverage from the Criterium du Dauphine. 

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