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Critérium du Dauphiné stage 5 – Live coverage

By Stephen Farrand
last updated

All the action from the rolling stage to Saint Vallier

Critérium du Dauphiné 2021

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Bonjour and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 5 of the Criterium du Dauphine.

As the Cyclingnews blimp takes height, the stage has just rolled out of a sunny and warm Saint-Chamond near St Etienne. 

The 175km stage includes five minor climbs but is expected to be a day for a brave breakaway and the sprinters.

The Côte du Planil comes after just 10km and so has inspired a number of attacks. 

These included Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) but the Tour of Flanders winner was pulled back.

Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) was next to big make a big attack, with the high speed, hurting and dropping several of the pure sprinters. 

Asgreen, Grmay and Bernard join Wellens in the attack.

Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) is a real threat to race leader Lukas Postleberger.  He is only 9 seconds down overall.  

As a result Bora are chasing the attack. 

Chris Froome spoke before the start of the stage and has acknowledged that his ambition of winning a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title will not be fulfilled this year, admitting that he's far from the form needed to compete for the yellow jersey. 

Cyril Gautier got across to the break but Bora is keeping them at 35 seconds.

A second uncategorised climb seems to have cracked the chasing peloton and the break has extended its lead. 

These are the five riders on the attack. 

The gap is 1:40 but the peloton have not yet given up the chase.

140km to go

Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) managed to keep one second of his overall lead after the Critérium du Dauphiné's stage 4 time trial, holding the yellow jersey for another day.

On this fast downhill sector, the break is still 1:35 clear.

As the race heads to the intermediate sprint in Saint-Appolinard, the break is still up the road with a lead of 1:35. 

Asgreen leads the break through the intermediate sprint, careful to take the three bonus seconds. 

Crash! Asgreen goes down.

Fortunately he is able to get up and race on. He rejoins the attack but their lead is down to 1:20 now. 

For what should have been a quiet day for the sprint teams, the stage has been hot from the start.  

After today's stage the Dauphine finally heads into the mountains, with three stages deep into the Alps. 

After the TT Thomas admitted his mistake. 

Back to today's race and we have more attacks.  

Ryan Mullen and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) have jumped away from the peloton with Josef Cerny (Deceuninck) joining them. 

They are only 20 seconds down on the attack but the peloton is only 14 seconds behind them. 

In another twist, it's not gruppo compatto but the counter-attackers have joined the attack, to form an eight-rider attack. 

A UAE rider is trying to go across to the attack but it's a big ask. 

Bora do seem to be playing a controlling game with the break. The gap is at 1:40

Crash in the peloton.

Riders who went down include best young rider Ilan Van Wilder (DSM).

We're hearing that Lennard Hofstede (JUmbo-Visma) has been forced to abandon after the crash.

The crash happened on the approach to the Côte de la Sizeranne climb after 88km of fast racing. 

The crash slowed the peloton and so now the break leads by 2:00. 

The break reaches the côte de la Sizeranne after 96km. 

Ilan Van Wilder (DSM) is back in the peloton after the crash. He was one of several riders who went down at speed.  

Ouch! Hofstede has a suspected broken collarbone.

Our photographers captured the moment of the crash.

And sadly also of Hostede's injuries. He had a cut to his face as well as a suspected fractured collarbone.

65km to go

This is the break, working well together to try to stay away.

These are the eight riders up front: 

However even the break is breaking up. 

The speed is high in the peloton and so slight cross winds are starting to make some riders suffer.  

Cerny and Mullen push on, with the rest of the break at 25 seconds. 

The peloton is packed together and closing on the Asgreen group. 

This was the moment of the attack.

50km to go

The rising road splits the attack, with Cerny pushing on. 

Other riders grab musettes but there's little time to feed, the race is on.  

Ineos are on the front as the race turns right. 

They sweep up Cerny in a second. 

40km to go

Classics riders have also got a sniff of the attacks. 

There are 2 key climbs in the final 30km. 

The flat roads weave through the French countryside with exposed fields and then protective villages. 

Sven Erik Bystrøm (UAE) has made a lone attack. 

The Col de Barbe Bleue is coming up. But the peloton has eased, letting Sven Erik Bystrøm (UAE) open a 1:15 lead.

Crash! 

Several riders go down.  Ouch.

An AG2R is injured, while a BikeExchange rider is in pain. 

Kaden Broves is the BikeExchange rider. Hopefully he can continue.

Onto the climb and Bahrain are leading the peloton for Colbrelli.

Bahrain lead on the climb and on the exposed parts over the top.

Sven Erik Bystrøm (UAE) is still out front.

The AG2R rider caught in the crash was Clement Venturini.

He has been forced to abandon.

Bahrain have 3 riders leading Colbrelli.

25km to go

Sadly Groves has also abandoned after the crash.

Ivo Oliveira is also out of the race.

The Côte du Montrebut comes 13km from the finish. It is short but very steep: 1.5km at 11.4 %, with a technical descent to follow.

Bahrain leaf but here come Jumbo on the left and Cofidis on the right.

The race to the foot of the climb is on.

Sven Erik Bystrøm's lead is down to 40 seconds.

Bora are upfront to protect Postlberger and drop him up front for the climb.

Here come the EF riders and Movistar riders for Valverde.

Sven Erik Bystrøm (UAE) starts the climb but is suffering. The peloton can see him now.

Gruppetto compatto. 

Here come Ineos. Amador drags their line to the front for the turn left.

Postlberger is there and Groupama riders for Gaudu.

Uff... The climb is steep, very steep. And narrow.

The middle sector is at 17%.

Lawson Craddock (EF) goes solo off the front.

Astana are protecting Lutsenko because he could take the lead today. 

Meanwhile, Chris Froome is distanced behind. 

Colbrelli is still up front. He is climbing well.

Craddock pushes on. This is a good attack as the gradient eases.

Craddock leads over the top of the climb. He has a 10 second lead.

11km to go.

Craddock leads onto the descent.

Crash!

Winner Anacona goes down with a B&B Hotels rider.

Bahrain have picked up the chase of Craddock for Colbrelli. 

8km to go

The descent to the river and the finish continues.  

Bahrain are letting Craddock hang off the front.

The steady chase is allowing other riders to move up for the finish.

3km to go

Jack Haig is the only rider left for Bahrain on the front of the peloton.

He closes down Craddock.

2km to go

Out of the tunnel

There are 50 or so riders in the group.

Watch out for the road furniture!

Last Km! 

Ineos ride to protect Thomas. And he goes solo!

Thomas has gone!

400m to go!

Thomas is solo!

EF chase him.

Ohhhhh!

Didi Colbrelli catch Thomas on the line? It's very close.

Colbrelli went early in pursuit of Thomas. 

Thomas started celebrate as Colbrelli came up along him. 

Thomas hit his head with his hand, perhaps thinking he had blown it. But the Welshman got the stage and a precious 10-second time bonus.  

Thomas and Cobrelli looked at each after the line, both surprised by that thrilling finish.

This is the top ten on the stage:

The TV replays showed that Michal Kwiatkowski slowed to let a gap go on the tight turn with 1km to go. 

This is the new general classification after stage 5:

The time bonus lifted Thomas up to sixth.

Thomas explained that Ineos realised that Bahrain only had Haig to lead any chase and so they went for it.

Thomas is the 2018 Tour de France winner but is also a superb rider and former track pursuiter with a fine turn of speed.

As he hoped, Postlberger kept the yellow and blue jersey for another day. 

How close was the finish? This close! 

Geraint Thomas explained his attack.

Thomas thought he had lost the stage on the line.

Here's Thomas celebrating but unsure of his win.

This shot, with the riders a few metres after the line, show how close it was. 

This was the look between Colbrelli and Thomas. 

To read our full stage report, see the full results and our growing photo gallery, click below.

It was a fast day out on the 175km rolling stage.

It seems this is where Thomas found the energy for his late attack.

ICYMI, Chris Froome has conceded he will not be able to fight for a possible fifth victory at the Tour de France.

Watch how Thomas and Ineos pulled off victory with a late attack.

This shot is from just before the finish line and shows Colbrelli's late charge.

This graphic offers a nice summary of the different classifications at the Dauphine.

The Criterium du Dauphine finally heads into the mountains on Friday with stage 6 from Loriol-sur-Drôme to Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse. 

This is the map of the stage.

Lukas Postlberger will start the stage in the yellow and blue leader's jersey but he will surely come under attack from the rider chasing overall victory.  

Thanks for joining us for full liver coverage of stage 5.

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