As it happened: Alaphilippe beats Carapaz to Critérium du Dauphiné stage 2 win

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 2 of the Critérium du Dauphiné!

Today's stage gets underway in just over 20 minutes with a 10-minute ride through the neutral zone.

Plenty of hills on the road to the finish today with four categorised climbs. Two third-category and two second-category before the uphill finish.

There's climbing from the start, too, with uncategorised hills filling the opening 40km.

A look back at yesterday's opening stage...

Criterium du Dauphine: Christophe Laporte catches Rune Herregodts on the line

And a look back at how stage 1 unfolded.

Riders have set off for the neutral zone at the start of the stage now.

Laporte starts today in the yellow of race leader. Donavan Grondin (Arkéa-Samsic) is in the KOM jersey while Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates) is in the green of points jersey leader. Rune Herregodts (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) is in white as best young rider.

Riders rolling out to start stage 2.

Three DNFs yesterday so 144 riders start today.

165km to go

Racing is underway on the stage and it's all together early on.

KOM leader Grondin is among the early attackers.

Steff Cras, Steve Kruijswijk, and Romain Combaud have abandoned the race.

155km to go

The trio were caught in a crash.

Meanwhile, Victor Campenaerts, Andrea Piccolo, and Jonas Gregaard are on the attack with Grondin.

Nans Peters is also on the attack.

The gaps at the head of the race are still small as they tackle an unclassified hill early on.

145km to go

Peters is across to the move, as is Pierre Latour.

Kenny Elissonde chasing across.

55 seconds between the leaders and the peloton.

Elissonde joins the break and we have seven out front.

Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny), Andrea Piccolo (EF Education-EasyPost), Nans Peters (AG2R Citroën), Jonas Gregaard (Uno-X), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies), Donavan Grondin (Arkéa-Samsic) in the break of the day.

Jumbo-Visma leads the peloton.

125km to go

Just under two minutes between break and peloton.

The first categorised climb of the day, the Col de Toutée (2.2km at 6%).

A look at the break of the day.

Grondin took the two points over the top of the climb to add to his KOM lead.

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109km to go

Grondin has taken two points over both of the day's opening climbs. He leads the mountain classification with seven points now.

The peloton rolling along during today's stage.

Grondin has to change bikes after suffering a mechanical problem.

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Jumbo-Visma and Soudal-QuickStep working in the peloton. The gap to the break is 1:20 now as Grondin gets back on.

90km to go

1:15 between break and peloton.

After a descent, the riders are now heading back uphill towards the finish line, which hosts the intermediate sprint. 15km to go until that point.

Ineos Grenadiers near the front of the peloton.

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72km to go

Grondin has dropped back from the breakaway now.

Just 55 seconds between the break and peloton.

Peters leads Gregaard and Piccolo over the intermediate sprint.

Jumbo, QuickStep and Astana all working at the head of the peloton currently.

It seems like the peloton are happy to hold the gap at 55 seconds for now. Still some time to go before the finish.

64km to go

Now the gap drops to 45 seconds.

EF now join the fray at the head of the peloton.

QuickStep and Jumbo doing their work.

Two fourth-category climbs between here and the finish as they loop around the closing circuit twice more.

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Cras and Combaud also forced out by same crash

55km to go

It's down to 35 seconds now.

10km to go until the riders hit the Côte des Guêtes (1km at 7.5%).

Grondin out the rear of the peloton with cramp in his left leg.

He's off his bike and sitting on the grass now.

49km to go

And now he's back up and running.

Still around 35 seconds up to the breakaway.

Still six men out front.

The gap has gone back up to 50 seconds on this downhill run. Still some time for the breakaway out front before they're caught.

It's still Jumbo-Visma and Soudal-QuickStep leading the peloton behind.

Campenaerts leads the way over the Côte des Guêtes. Now Pierre Latour is struggling at the rear of the group.

39km to go

The Frenchman gets back on, though. Still climbing as they head towards the finish line once again.

Now Latour is yo-yoing off the back.

It looks like he has cramp.

Unusual to see several riders suffering from cramp on the same stage.

It's still 50 seconds back to the peloton.

Latour is caught by the peloton.

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Five men left out front as the riders race towards the final 30km.

33km to go

Just over 30 seconds now for the break. The peloton can see the quintet up ahead on this straight stretch of road.

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Now down to 20 seconds and counting...

One last push for the breakaway men.

28km to go

Campenaerts pushing on at the front.

Elissonde with him as the rest drop away.

They've gained a little on the peloton. The time gap now reads 20 seconds!

24km to go

They're still fighting as Jumbo-Visma lead the chase.

13 seconds to the breakaway survivors.

Still some descending to do before they hit the Côte des Guêtes for the last time. Then the rise to the finish.

UAE Team Emirates among the teams up front in the peloton.

19km to go

10 seconds for Campenaerts and Elissonde now as they race into the final 20km.

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Elissonde and Campenaerts out front.

The time gap is fluctuating – 10 to 15 to 20 seconds.

Now the riders start the uphill run.

15km to go

30 seconds now for the breakaway duo.

Ineos, EF, Jumbo at the head of the peloton.

Meanwhile Latour is out the rear of the peloton and now Ineos rider Jonathan Castroviejo is dropping with cramp too!

Elissonde leading Campenaerts towards the Côte des Guêtes.

35 seconds now.

13km to go

The gap is staying the same here.

Elissonde gestures at Campenaerts, who is on his wheel and not taking a turn.

The Côte des Guêtes is 1km at 7.5%. Elissonde leads the way onto it.

The peloton follows 15 seconds later.

And now Elissonde pushes on alone at the front.

It's almost over for the pair.

10km to go

And now they're brought back midway up the climb.

Attack by Tobias Bayer (Alpecin-Deceuninck).

Bayer has 15 seconds on the peloton over the top.

8km to go

Bayer continues to push on. Jumbo-Visma lead the peloton.

It's uphill from here after a short descent.

All uphill from here as the riders head to the finish line for the third time.

Now Bayer is getting pulled in.

It looks like most of the sprinters are safe in the peloton at the moment.

4km to go

It's over for Bayer.

Counter-attack by Harry Sweeny (Lotto-Dstny).

The Australian has a small gap.

QuickStep and Jumbo chase.

3km to go

A very high pace now.

Laporte is third in line.

2km to go

Sweeny has already been caught. All together to the line.

Jumbo, EF, Jayco, Bora, UAE all present around the front.

A ramp up to the finish line.

1km to go

EF make a move!

Vingegaard on the front to close it down.

Lined out at the front.

Laporte not far from the front as the EF rider is caught at 300 metres.

Richard Carapaz goes first in the sprint!

Julian Alaphilippe pulls alongside him. Laporte just behind.

Finish

Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep) wins stage 2 of the Critérium du Dauphiné!

Alaphilippe from Carapaz and Tesfatsion with Laporte in fourth.

That's Alaphilippe's second win of the season after his triumph at the Faun-Ardèche Classic in February.

Here's the top 10.

Alaphilippe said that he's endured a long few months but that he stayed patient and is relieved to take this win.

A large group finishing together so Laporte will keep the yellow jersey as race leader.

Alaphilippe jumps up to second overall. He's level on time with Laporte but misses out on yellow by countback.

Both have a win. Laporte was fourth today, Alaphilippe was 38th yesterday.

Critérium du Dauphiné: Julian Alaphilippe sprints to victory on stage 2

Frenchman beats Carapaz and Tesfatsion in draggy finish

Check out the final kilometre of the stage here...

Alaphilippe celebrates his stage win on the podium.

Laporte remains in yellow, level on time with Alaphilippe.

He's also in the new-look dark green points jersey, too.

Grondin continues in the polka dot mountain jersey despite his bout of cramp earlier.

Meanwhile, Rune Herregodts is in the white of the best young rider.

Finally, Victor Campenaerts returns to racing following his fractured vertebra with a most combative rider award for stage 2.

Here's what Alaphilippe had to say about his win today...

"It was a difficult victory to claim but it feels good because the last few months have felt quite long. I worked hard and to taste success again, especially in the Dauphiné. It's a relief.

"We had on our mind that we would sprint with Ethan Vernon, and if it became too hard for him, we could go with Florian Sénéchal or Andrea Bagioli… Or maybe me, but it had been a long time since I was insect a position.

"Ethan eventually bonked, Florian told me he was at his limit with 2km to go and I didn't see Andrea. I had good legs and every one around me looked to be struggling. I did my effort at the right moment. I couldn't dream of anything better.

"I said I wanted to win a stage and I've already done it on the second day. I can be more relaxed now but I’ll give my best because I’m very motivated."

That's all from our live coverage of the Critérium du Dauphiné today. Check back on Cyclingnews for more from the race as well as live coverage of stage 3 tomorrow!