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Fabio Aru (Astana) has taken out Stage 3 of the 2016 Criterium du Daphine with a what seemed to be a dumb, yet ultimately successful solo attack in the closing stages.
After the day was dominated by an aggressive breakaway, Aru would join a group of eight riders off the front of the peloton, being the last to survive and then holding on through the final flat kilometres to take the victory.
After a three man breakaway of Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) and Dimitri Claeys (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) controlled the early going on’s of the stage,another group would edge clear heading towards the end of the second climb.
That meant that Perrig Quémeneur (Direct Energie) and Cyril Gautier (AG2R-La Mondiale) joined the previous three in the breakaway and the five man group struggled to get its lead past a couple of minutes, after picking up a maximum advantage of six minutes earlier in the day.
Heading onto the final climb and it would be Tony Martin (Etixx) to launch the move, before quickly being caught in an eight rider group that featured the likes of Aru and Adam Yates, with Mikel Landa in there as representation for Sky.
Over the top of the climb, a the group were caught mainly due to Aru getting rid of them and going broke for himself he never held anymore than 30 seconds, and that decreased down to below 10 for the most part.
In fact, with 8 kilometres to go Aru has a lead of just eight seconds over the Katusha led peloton, who did a fantastic job in setting Kristoff up – and he would have won if it wasn’t for Aru.
Aru just kept fighting all the way to the line, ending up taking the stage by just a few lengths.
Kristoff sprinted in for second but he would be absolutely kicking himself given that was the last true opportunity for the sprinters to grab a stage win.
It was a truly incredible ride from Aru – something you don’t see much in modern day cycling as an individual rider heads off the front to stop the peloton. With big mountains to come though, you have to question the motives behind the decision, and if indeed it was the correct one.
For now though, the Italian will bask in the glory of a stage win at the Dauphine.
Top 10
1. Fabio Aru (Astana) @ 4:19:56
2. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) + 0:02
3. Niccolo Bonifazio (Trek) + 0:02
4. Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-Quickstep) + 0:02
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) + 0:02
6. Sam Bennett (Bora Argon 18) + 0:02
7. Daryl Impey (Orica) + 0:02
8. Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) + 0:02
9. Enrico Gasparotto (Wanty Groupe Goubert) + 0:02
10. Arthur Vichot (FDJ) + 0:02
General Classification
General Classification after Stage 3, 2016 Crituerium du Dauphine
1. Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) @ 13:13:10
2. Richie Porte (BMC) + 0:06
3. Chris Froome (Sky) + 0:13
4. Daniel Martin (Etixx-Quickstep) + 0:21
5. Julian Alaphillipe (Etixx-Quickstep) + 0:24
6. Jesus Herrada (Movistar) + 0:27
7. Adam Yates (Orica GreenEdge) + 0:31
8. Diego Rosa (Astana) + 0:37
9. Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) + 0:43
10. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) + 0:48
Stage 3 of the Criterium du Dauphine will favour the brave as the peloton take on 182 kilometres of lumps and bumps from Boen-sur-Lignon to Tournon-sur-Rhone. Join The Roar for live coverage from 10:40pm (AEST).
Stage 2 was the first uphill finish of this year’s Dauphine, and with Jesus Herrada (Movistar) riding away to take the victory, there hasn’t been a change in the general classification since the prologue.
Today’s stage almost feels like a Giro d’Italia flat stage. By that, I mean flat with a climb big enough to dislodge the sprinters within sight of the finish line, where it will likely take a massive effort to get back with the peloton for the end.
This is even more so the case considering that from about the 70-kilometre mark it begins to climb – very gradually, but still climbing nonetheless.
There are two Category 4 climbs during the 45-kilometre stretch, and the sprinters will have to work hard throughout just to stay with the pack.
Without the sprinters teams working though, it could allow the right breakaway to form a massive gap over the peloton.
Critérium du Dauphiné 2016 Stage 3 (Supplied)
After a gradual descent for about 40 kilometres, the major difficulty of Stage 3 – the Category 2 Cote de Secheras – will be summited 19 kilometres from the finish line. While it is short, coming in at only 2.9 kilometres at an average gradient of nearly nine per cent and ramps of up to 14 per cent will seriously challenge the sprinters.
Here, it would expected the likes of Orica-GreenEDGE, Etixx Quickstep, Lotto Soudal or even Direct Energie – depending on their presence in the breakaway – would drive the pace.
This allows the punchy men to try and get rid of the sprinters, allowing them a free shot at the sprint after a descent and then an uphill run into the finish.
The other issue for the sprinters is the road won’t stop rising directly after the climb, putting them in more difficulty.
Prediction
Most of the sprinters should drop the ball here, given there will be teams working for guys who can make it over the climbs. Watch for Simon Gerrans (Orica) or Julian Alaphillipe (Etixx) to take the stage in a reduced bunch sprint.
Be sure to join The Roar for live race updates from 10:40pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde