Stage 3 didn’t quite bring the break up in the peloton that many expected but it did bring about a return to winning for Sky’s Edvald Boasson Hagen.
The Norwegian champ romped home if fine style after being delivered expertly to the final few hundred meters by Geraint Thomas, proving that the English team can win the odd sprint even without Mark Cavendish.
David Meilleux retained the yellow leader’s jersey for yet another day, though he is expected to come under some serious pressure in today’s individual time trial.
Currently the Frenchman is 1:56 ahead of Gianni Meersman with just about all the GC favorites just one second behind the Belgian. Alejandro Valverde of Movistar poses a threat as does Sylvain Chavanel of Omega Pharma-QuickStep, though the three men most chafing at the bit are the trio of Christopher Froome and Richie Porte (both Sky) and Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff).
Each of these men are very good against the clock and will be looking to take some big chunks out of Meilleux’s lead. Can one of them take over the lead? Well at 32.5km this is not a terribly long TT so it may be difficult, so Meilleux may retain Yellow for one more day.
Favorites for the stage? Marco Pinotti (BMC), Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) are threats, but look out for Tony Martin (OP-QS) to take on Froome for the top spot today.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
So, what a stage that was. Tony Martin shows again why he's considered by many the best time trialler in the world, and Australian Rohan Dennis has put in the shift of his life to take over the lead in the General Classification. Thank you for joining us here at The Roar, remember to come back tomorrow night for live blogging of Stage 5.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Thomas Damuseau of Team Argos Shimano retains his lead in the King of the Mountains Classification, Gianni Meersman still leads the Points Classification and Rohan Dennis takes over the lead in the Young Rider Classification.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Rohan Dennis looks delighted as he's presented his yellow jersey. He even steals a 3rd kiss from the podium girl after she tried to turn away after the 2nd. He deserves it though, he only got one podium girl.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Rohan Dennis (have I mentioned he's from Adelaide?) said "my goal was to try and take the white jersey but to come in faster than guys like Froome and Porte is a dream come true. To be wearing the yellow jersey at a world tour race...I'm still stumped for words" He said that his only goal for the Dauphine was to help Andrew Tallansky, but since his illness he's been concentrating on the white jersey. Yellow is better than white, Rohan.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
And here it is - the GC, topped by an Adelaide boy! Rohan Dennis - Garmin Sharp - 12h40'00" Chris Froome - Team Sky @5" Michal Kwiatkowski - Omega Pharma-Quick Step @26" Edvald Boasson Hagen - Team Sky @32" Richie Porte - Team Sky @33"
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Tony Martin said he was really looking forward to today's stage "because it is the first long time trial since the Algarve Tour". And boy did he point in a good performance. He added that he's now looking forward to the Tour de France, with 2 individual team trials and 1 team trial.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Top 10 for Stage 4 Tony Martin - Omega Pharma-Quick Step - 36'54" Rohan Dennis - Garmin Sharp @47" Chris Froome - Team Sky @52" Jonathan Castroviejo - Movistar @1'08" Michal Kwiatkowski - Omega Pharma-Quick Step @1'13" Edvald Boasson Hagen - Team Sky @1'19" Richie Porte - Team Sky @1'20" Jan Barta - Team Netapp Endura @1'36" Marco Pinotti - BMC @1'38" Geraint Thomas - Team Sky @ 1'42"
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Gianni Meersman finishes over 4 minutes down. David Veilleux finishes in 40:46, 3:52 behind Martin. Rohan Dennis is the leader of the Criterium du Dauphine. Tony Martin wins Stage 4.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Just two riders left on course, Gianni Meersman and David Veilleux. Barring a miracle from one of them, Rohan Dennis will be in the leader's yellow jersey tomorrow. Quite the achievement for 23 year old from Adelaide, which happens to be where I'm from. My wife judged him in the state trials when he was 15 and he was every bit as good as Jack Bobridge then - he's just shown how much talent he has.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Tony Gallopin finishes in 39:30, 2:36 down on Martin and 21st position on the stage. He won't be in white tomorrow.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Alejandro Valverde finishes in 40:23, 3:28 behind Martin and in 52nd position. That hurts his GC hopes for sure.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Gianni Meersman was 2:47 down at the 2nd checkpoint. He'll keep green, but he's not going to pull of a major shock and steal yellow.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Jakob Fuglsang of Radioshack Leopard Trek finishes in 39:37 and 24th position currently.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Geraint Thomas finishes in 10th spot, 38:36 was his time - 1:42 down on Tony Martin. Which means just a lazy 4 riders in the top 10 at the moment for Team Sky David Veilleux goes through the 2nd checkpoint 2:20 seconds down on Martin and over 1:40 down on Rohan Dennis. Unless Veilleux pulls something special out, Rohan Dennis is the new leader of the Criterium du Dauphine for 2013.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Gallopin 1:12 down on Dennis at the 2nd checkpoint. He won't be taking white, or yellow for that matter.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Just 8 riders left out on course then. Rohan Dennis looking very good to be the leader of the GC after this stage. Veilleux and Gianni Meersman still hoping to have something to say about that.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Here comes Richie Porte. He won't take yellow, he won't be 2nd on the GC. He finishes in 38:14, 1:19 down on Martin and a fraction of a second behind Boasson Hagen, meaning he'll be 6th in the GC. Contador finishes in 40:31, 56th spot. Overall hopes done for this years race for Alberto Contador.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Australian's 1 & 2 on the GC after this stage? Could it be. Go on Ritchie, you can do it.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
2 kilometres left for Porte.
jasonkohlmorgen
Roar Guru
Speaking of Richie Porte, he has passed Contador. Remember when Porte was a domestique for Contador? I bet Richie was thinking about that as he chased him down. He looks strong.