Criterium du Dauphine 2018: Stage 3

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January 1 - June 10, Pont-de-Vaux, France, Road - WorldTour

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Welcome to live coverage of stage 3 of the Criterium du Dauphine. It's team time trial day and we're all set for action with Team Sunweb due to start their ride in the next minutes. 

Today's running order has been decided by the team classification, though Mitchelton-Scott are last of the ramp with Daryl Impey in the race lead. Three minutes separate each team. You can find the full running order here.

It is very close at the top of the overall standings after a dramatic ending to yesterday's stage. Michal Kwiatkowski was in the lead but crashed in the final two kilometres. Daryl Impey took bonus seconds on the line and overtook the Team Sky rider in the standings. This is how things look at the moment. 

Team Sunweb, Vital Concept and Dimension Data have all started their run. LottoNL Jumbo are making their way onto the ramp now and will be the next team to set out. 

As you can see from the profile above, today's time trial is pretty much flat, aside from a couple of very minor undulations. Interestingly, the team time trial is the same length as the Tour's TTT so it's a perfect chance for some teams to practice over the same length. 

If you missed the news earlier, Tom Dumoulin will ride the Tour de France. He waited until after the Giro d'Italia to make the call but the team have now announced his participation along with their long list for the French Grand Tour. You can find the full story here.

Also, I don't know if you've noticed (I don't think we've mentioned it at all this week) but we have a new movie out called CRESCENDO. It's a behind the scenes look at the final week of the Giro d'Italia with cameos from Adam Hansen, Gianni Savio, Sam Bennett, Ben O'Connor and more. Oh, and we have a new snazzy poster too. Click here for more. 

Eight of the 22 teams are out on course now and three have gone through the intermediate check. Dimension Data currently lead the way with their time of 15:31. Team Sunweb - the team time trial world champions - are last. They're depleted in numbers and don't have their strongest time triallists here so seem to be taking it easier ahead of the mountains. 

And LottoNL-Jumbo are through the first check and take eight seconds of Dimension Data's time. We can expect some even quicker teams to come so I don't expect that to stand for too long. 

There are 10.5 kilometres between the first and second check points. It won't be long before we start seeing teams coming through there. 

And there we have it. Team Sunweb go through the second check in a time of 28:31. They've still got a full compliment of riders at the moment. They can only afford to lose one with the time taken on the fourth rider. 

Romain Bardet and his AG2R La Mondiale team set off. This is a damage limitation day for the French outfit, who aren't known for their time trialling talents, despite having French champion Pierre Latour in the line-up. 

Fortuneo-Samsic are 21 seconds down at the first time check. They'll be looking for a turn of fortune in the coming days after a difficult start to the season. Newly signed star rider Warren Barguil - who is riding the Dauphine - told Cyclingnews that his season so far has been 'rubbish'. Read his full comments here.

It's no surprise that Team Sunweb have been bumped off the top spot at the second check, first by Vital Concept and then by Dimension Data. The South African squad are 1:10 quicker than Sunweb at the 24.5km time check. 

LottoNL--Jumbo now through that second check and they maintain that eight-second lead over Dimension Data. They set a time of 27:12.

We're into the last 10 teams to start their ride. EF Education First were the last to roll down the ramp and we'll have race leaders Mitchelton-Scott off at 53 minutes past the hour. 

Team Sunweb have finished their ride and post a time of 39:53 but Vital Concept come across the line with to oust them from the hot seat. The organisers have pointed out that the time cut today is 30 per cent.

Meanwhile, Katusha-Alpecin have come through the first intermediate check and post exactly the same time as LottoNL-Jumbo, 15:23.

Dimension Data have smashed the fastest time of Vital Concept by 39 seconds with Sunweb a whopping 1:38 behind. Dimension Data dropped one rider on their way around. 

Well, well, well. AG2R La Mondiale are just one second slower than LottoNL-Jumbo at the first check. That is a very good effort from them. Speaking of LottoNL-Jumbo, they have just finished and stop the clock at 38:05, which is nine seconds quicker than Dimension Data. 

Bora-Hansgrohe go through the first check in a time of 15:18 to knock LottoNL-JUmbo off their top spot. The timing screens have EF Education First posting a time of 12:32 but that must be wrong unless they've swapped their bikes for mopeds. 

Quick-Step Floors are off the ramp. They've apparently told their riders that they're waiting for nobody if they get dropped today. They're gunning for the win. 

EF Education First's time at the first check has been amended to 15:18, which is the same as Bora-Hansgrohe. We'll see if that time stands.

Katusha-Alpecin are through the second check and they've given away a few seconds on LottoNL Jumbo. Having matched them at the first check, they're now seven seconds back. 

Astana are just three seconds back from Bora-Hansgrohe at the first check. Meanwhile, Bahrain-Merida have put in a poor time at the finish. They've given away 32 seconds to LottoNL-Jumbo. 

Lotto Soudal start their effort as AG2R La Mondiale go fastest at the second check by just a few thousandths of a second. My, my that is a strong performance and I have to say I wasn't expecting it. 

Some tense moments for Quick-Step Floors as Fabio Jacobsen and James Knox get distanced. Knox has to sprint to bring them back to the end of the train. 

Groupama-FDJ are putting in a solid effort at the moment and are just four seconds down at the first check. 

Knox is now struggling off the back of the Quick-Step train and they look to be down to just five riders. that is very early to be in this position. 

After going fastest at the first check, Bora-Hansgrohe have given away seven seconds to LottoNL-Jumbo. They're two seconds down on the Dutch team. 

EF Education First also go through the time check and they too have given away a bit of time. They match Bora-Hansgrohe once again with a time of 27:15. And apologies, it is AG2R La Mondiale that is the quickest at the second check. 

Katusha cross the line 16 seconds down on LottoNL-Jumbo. One of several teams who have lost some time to the Dutch outfit in the second half of the course. 

Mitchelton-Scott left the start ramp a few moments ago and we've got all the teams either finished or on course. In just over 30 minutes we'll find out our stage winner and our yellow jersey going into the mountains. 

Wow. Quick-Step Floors have stopped the clock at 15:02 at the first check, 16 seconds quicker than the next best team. Meanwhile, AG2R La Mondiale have gone three seconds quicker than LottoNL-Jumbo on the finish line to post the fastest time. 

Quick-Step have five riders to carry this pace all the way through to the line. They can only lose one rider. 

Groupama-FDJ are through the second check and they're three seconds up on AG2R La Mondiale with a time of 27:10. 

Bora-Hansgrohe sprint all the way to the line with five riders. They're 16 seconds slower than AG2R La Mondiale. 

The time tumbles a little bit more at the first check with BMC Racing taking one second out of Quick-Step Floors with three more teams still so come through. 

At the second check, Movistar post a new fastest time of 27:09, less than a second quicker than FDJ. This time trial is going to be decided by fractions of a second. 

Lotto Soudal are nine seconds down at the first check. Meanwhile, Trek-Segafredo take a couple of seconds out of the time set by Movistar at the second check. 

Team Sky are the first to go under 15 minutes at the first check. They blast through the check in a time of 14:47 some 14 seconds quicker than BMC Racing. 

Astana give away 18 seconds on the line. AG2R La Mondiale have put in quite a bit of time on many of their rivals, Bahrain in particular. Nibali has lost 35 seconds at the moment. 

Quick-Step Floors are 18 seconds quicker than Trek-Segafredo at the second time check. Further back on the course, Mitchelton-Scott are nine seconds slower than Team Sky. 

On the finish line, Groupana-FDJ lose some time in the last part of that course. They stop the clock three seconds slower than AG2R La Mondiale. A solid performance. 

Wowee. BMC Racing bash down the time set by Quick-Step Floors. They're 19 seconds quicker at the second intermediate check. Quick-Step obviously feeling the strain of losing riders so early. 

Movistar are the next team to finish their run. They've got all their riders as Jahsa Sutterlin lead them through the final corners. He moves over and lets some fresher riders sprint to the line. It's not quite enough and they're just over a second slower than AG2R La Monndiale. 

At the second check Lotto Soudal are now in second spot at 17 seconds behind BMC Racing. 

Trek-Segafredo a busting a gut as they sprint to the line and they've beaten AG2R La Mondiale by just under three seconds. 

At the second check point, Team Sky have upped their advantage to 22 seconds and Michal Kwiatkowski looks like he'll be wearing yellow again at the end of the day. They have to stay on their bikes though. 

We just have Mitchelton-Scott to come through the second check, but they've got a lot of work to do if they want to topple Team Sky. 

Quick-Step Floors finish their effort and post the festest time of 37:35. That's 25 seconds quicker than Trek-Segafedo, but it doesn't look like it will be the fastest time. 

BMC Racing are the next team to finish. They cross the line in a time of 37:10, which is 24 seconds quicker than Quick-Step. They have just four riders as they hit the line, but they kept most of their riders for much longer on the course. 

Team Sky pass by one of the dropped Lotto Soudal riders. Live timing has them at 30 seconds quicker than BMC Racing. They have three kilometres to go. 

Mitchelton-Scott have lost time at the second check. They're now 37 seconds down. Daryl Impey has been doing a lot of work and he must be tired now. 

Lotto Soudal finish their run and slot into second place for now. Just Team Sky and Mitchelton-Scott to come. 

Team Sky come into the finish and destroy the time set by BMC Racing. They stop the clock at 36:33 and they're the only team at the moment to go under 37 minutes. 

We're just waiting for Mitchelton-Scott to finish but they're unlikely to beat Team Sky. They've got less than a minute to do 1.5 kilometres. 

Live timing is predicting a minute time loss for the Aussie squad. They have well and truly imploded in the second part of this route. 

Five riders cross the line for Mitchelton-Scott and they finish 55 seconds back. Team Sky have won the team time trial and Michal Kwiatkowski is in the race lead again. 

Here is the full finishing order for today's team time trial. 

Team Sky's performance was so strong that they now have four riders in the top four heading into the mountains. BMC Racing then take up the next three sports with Impey dropping to eighth place. 

Looking at the results, Vincenzo Nibali and Dan Martin are the biggest losers today. Martin and his UAE Team Emirates squad lost 2:28 while Bahrain-Merida gave away 2:05. A chance at victory looks all but gone and a podium place may also be out of the window. What's more, it's a bad sign for them ahead of the team time trial at the Tour de France next month. 

Team Sky came to this race with three time trial national champions, plus Geraint Thomas and that has shown in their performance. I wonder if, with this ride, Castroviejo has sealed himself a place in the Team Sky Tour de France squad. He hasn't harmed his chances. 

This is what Michal Kwiatkowski had to say after retaking the race lead. 

Daryl Impey may have lost the lead in the overall classification but he still has the lead in the points competition. He's equal on points with Pascal Ackermann but holds the jersey due to his finishing positions in the two time trials. 

With his second place in the overall standings, Gianni Moscon has maintained his place at the top of the youth standings. He's over a minute ahead second placed Laurens De Plus. 

Michal Kwiatkowski back in yellow.

You can find results from today here, along with photos and a recap of what went down. 

And don't forget that our behind the scenes look at the final week of the Giro d'Italia, CRESCENDO, is available to buy or rent on vimeo. It features a whole host of riders as they take on a brutal and dramatic final week. You can find all of the information here. 

That is all from our live coverage today. We'll be back again tomorrow for more as the race hits the mountains. We'll also have plenty of reaction from today's stage later. 

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