Join us for live coverage of the fourth stage of Critérium du Dauphiné. Live blogging will begin at 9:00PM AEST, with comments added throughout the stage.
Stage 4 is a 53.5km-long time trial from Villé-Morgon to Bourg en Bresse. I think it is worth noting the results from last year’s time trial and taking a look how the stage may shape the remainder of the Dauphiné.
1 Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad 0:55:27
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:11
3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:00:43
4 David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:00:58
5 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team RadioShack 0:01:17
6 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:20
7 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:01:36
8 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:37
9 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:01:56
10 Rui Alberto Faria Costa (Por) Movistar Team 0:02:00
11 Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Blr) HTC-Highroad 0:02:02
12 Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre – ISD 0:02:04
13 Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur – Sojasun 0:02:08
14 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana 0:02:18
15 Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack 0:02:26
16 Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ 0:02:38
17 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:02:39
18 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:02:41
19 Kristijan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:02:43
20 Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:02:43
Of the top 20 riders last year, 13 are racing in this years edition of the Dauphiné. If you recall last year, and if you don’t, just look above, Tony Martin pretty much destroyed the field and the only rider even close to him was Bradley Wiggins, coming in 11 seconds behind.
If Martin, who currently trails Wiggins by 4 seconds, can put in a similar performance in this years longer TT, there’s a good chance that he will start in yellow on stage 5. But I personally have questions about his form given the injuries he sustained earlier this year when he was hit by a car while training. Is his form as sharp as it was last year? That remains to be seen.
What we have seen already, however, is that Cadel Evans and Bradley Wiggins are both on top form, and I personally look forward to seeing if Evans is able to close the 1:09 gap Wiggins put into him in last year’s Dauphiné. With over 100km of TT in this year’s Tour de France, how these two measure up now could be telling of how the race in July takes shape.
In addition to Evans and Wiggins, riders to watch tomorrow are Edvald Boasson Hagen, Jerome Coppel and Janez Brajkovic. All had decent results last year and other than Boasson Hagen, are within 15 seconds of the yellow jersey.
Should be an exciting stage for many reasons. See you here this evening.
Munchkin
Roar Rookie
Bingo! I got 9 riders in the top 20 and that is not a bad effort! Wiggins, Martin, Rogers, Chavanel, Durbridge, Evans, Sanchez, Van Gardaren, and Hagen! Now that is a great effort! Stage 6 I have my tips and will send through!
hamleyn
Roar Guru
Couldn't agree with you more. The Dauphine is an important big race, but it isn't THE important big race. I wouldn't be surprised if Cadel has something up his sleeve for the Tour. It's also 3 times longer. Wiggins isn't a shoe-in yet but this result can't hurt his prospects.
Darryl Kotyk
Roar Pro
Nice perspective. Thanks, Vitally.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Here are the top 20 on GC. 1. WIGGINS Bradley 1 SKY PROCYCLING 14h 11' 07" 2. MARTIN Tony 161 OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP 14h 11' 45" + 00' 38" 3. ROGERS Michael 7 SKY PROCYCLING 14h 12' 27" + 01' 20" 4. CHAVANEL Sylvain 162 OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP 14h 12' 45" + 01' 38" 5. EVANS Cadel 11 BMC RACING TEAM 14h 12' 51" + 01' 44" 6. KELDERMAN Wilco 183 RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 14h 12' 52" + 01' 45" 7. FROOME Christopher 2 SKY PROCYCLING 14h 12' 55" + 01' 48" 8. MILLAR David 126 GARMIN - BARRACUDA 14h 13' 07" + 02' 00" 9. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 181 RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 14h 13' 09" + 02' 02" 10. GRIVKO Andriy 25 ASTANA PRO TEAM 14h 13' 25" + 02' 18" 11. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 31 LOTTO-BELISOL TEAM 14h 13' 29" + 02' 22" 12. BRAJKOVIC Janez 23 ASTANA PRO TEAM 14h 13' 54" + 02' 47" 13. COPPEL Jérôme 191 SAUR-SOJASUN 14h 14' 02" + 02' 55" 14. AMADOR Andrey 152 MOVISTAR TEAM 14h 14' 03" + 02' 56" 15. KIRYIENKA Vasil 155 MOVISTAR TEAM 14h 14' 05" + 02' 58" 16. MARTENS Paul 184 RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 14h 14' 08" + 03' 01" 17. BARREDO Carlos 182 RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 14h 14' 09" + 03' 02" 18. VAN GARDEREN Tejay 18 BMC RACING TEAM 14h 14' 10" + 03' 03" 19. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 157 MOVISTAR TEAM 14h 14' 14" + 03' 07" 20. SIUTSOU Kanstantsin 8 SKY PROCYCLING 14h 14' 20" + 03' 13"
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Putting it in perspective, Evans lost 1:09 to Wiggins in the Dauphiné TT last year, and that one was about 10k shorter. Today he lost 1:43 in a longer TT. So I would not be so quick to judge that Evans is not in as good of a form as he was last year, nor am I yet convinced that Wiggins is far greater form than he was last year at the same time. I guess we shall see as we get into the high mountains in the upcoming stages.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Here are your top 20 from today's TT: 1. WIGGINS Bradley 1 SKY PROCYCLING 01:03:12 2. MARTIN Tony 161 OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP 01:03:46 3. ROGERS Michael 7 SKY PROCYCLING 01:04:23 00:01:11 4. KELDERMAN Wilco 183 RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 01:04:38 5. CHAVANEL Sylvain 162 OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP 01:04:45 00:01:33 6. FROOME Christopher 2 SKY PROCYCLING 01:04:45 00:01:33 7. DURBRIDGE Luke 173 ORICA GREENEDGE 01:04:50 00:01:37 8. EVANS Cadel 11 BMC RACING TEAM 01:04:55 00:01:43 9. MILLAR David 126 GARMIN - BARRACUDA 01:05:03 00:01:51 10. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 181 RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 01:05:06 00:01:53 11. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 31 LOTTO-BELISOL TEAM 01:05:25 00:02:12 12. GRIVKO Andriy 25 ASTANA PRO TEAM 01:05:28 00:02:16 13. VAN GARDEREN Tejay 18 BMC RACING TEAM 01:05:40 00:02:28 14. SIUTSOU Kanstantsin 8 SKY PROCYCLING 01:05:41 00:02:28 15. KIRYIENKA Vasil 155 MOVISTAR TEAM 01:05:42 00:02:30 16. BRAJKOVIC Janez 23 ASTANA PRO TEAM 01:05:45 00:02:33 17. HAGEN Edvald Boasson 3 SKY PROCYCLING 01:05:51 00:02:38 18. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 157 MOVISTAR TEAM 01:05:52 00:02:39 19. COPPEL Jérôme 191 SAUR-SOJASUN 01:06:01 00:02:49 20. AMADOR Andrey 152 MOVISTAR TEAM 01:06:02 00:02:50
Darryl Kotyk
Roar Pro
Well done, Wiggins.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Evans finishes 7th, 1:04:55. Wiggins finishes in first, beating Tony Martin by quite a margin, finishing in 1:03:12.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
I wonder if Evans was ever caught in a TT as a professional?
Darryl Kotyk
Roar Pro
I was just thinking the same thing. What a finish this is going to be.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Evans and Wiggins just passed the 3k to go mark.
Tinea Pedis
Roar Guru
He is a monster on that TT rig! And that position, super, super aero!
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Martin comes in and is the first man to break 1:04 to finish in 1:03:46. But Wiggins is looking at an even faster time.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Wiggins is just a few meters behind Evans on the road.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Wiggins is currently 1:37 faster than Evans on the road. A few more seconds and he will catch him on the road.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Oooh, I think I've spoken too soon. Wiggins comes in 36 seconds faster than Tony Martin at the second checkpoint. Unless Wiggins comes unglued in the last few KM, he should take this.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Tony Martin is just destroying everything on course. Coming in 25 seconds faster than Rogers at the second checkpoint. I don't think anyone will beat him today.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Chavanel comes through 4 seconds behind Rogers at the second checkpoint. Looks like he's falling off pace a bit, but still looking at a solid finish.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
Michael Rogers just came in with the fastest time 1:04:28, 15 seconds faster than Kelderman.
vitalyg
Roar Guru
25 seconds at the first checkpoint.