Critérium du Dauphiné 2019 – Stage 1 [LAST 20 KM]

June 09, 2019

Critérium du Dauphiné 2019 – Stage 1 – Aurillac – Jussac : 142 km

The headliners for this year’s Critérium du Dauphiné (June 9-15) include four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome (Team Ineos). The British rider missed last year’s Dauphiné owing to his Giro d’Italia ambitions but he returns to familiar territory with a team capable of taking overall honours for the seventh time in nine editions.

Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) took victory on the opening stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné, beating Philippe Gilbert (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) in a reduced bunch sprint.

Thanks to the bonus seconds he earned for his win, Boasson Hagen now leads the overall classification by four seconds over Gilbert.

“I’m really happy I could manage to take this victory, I was really suffering on these last few climbs. I managed to make it to the sprint and I had a good sprint. I got the victory and I’m happy. It’s a long time since I had a victory,” said Boasson Hagen. “I hope there is more to come, but it’s good for me and it’s good for Dimension Data to get this win.”

Boasson Hagen didn’t have any team around to help him in the final kilometres of the hilly stage, but he was able to rely on plenty of other teams being interested in catching the remnants of the day’s breakaway that remained out front until the final kilometre. Both Mitchelton-Scott and Deceuninck-QuickStep kept the pace high, dragging back the leaders with just a few hundred metres to the line.

Deceuninck-QuickStep’s Julian Alaphilippe led what remained of the pack, which had broken up over the final climb of the day, around the last few corners, hoping to build on their success at the Hammer Series and deliver Gilbert to the win. Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) and Van Aert fought it out to get onto Gilbert’s wheel while Boasson Hagen had to come from a long way back with 300 metres remaining.

Boasson Hagen used the wheel of fellow Classics rider Nils Politt (Katusha-Alpecin) to move up the bunch as the German decided to chance his hand in a long sprint, going around the outside on the final bend. As the bunch rounded the final corner, Alaphilippe pulled off to let Gilbert take his chance at the line.

Unleashed, Gilbert did to Politt what he did in the Roubaix velodrome just two months ago. But he was no match for Boasson Hagen, who had navigated his way around the back of Gilbert to take the sprinting line up the centre of the road and easily overhaul the Belgian for a clear victory. Van Aert held on admirably to take third, while Politt faded to fourth.

How it happened

Summer might be on its way, but it didn’t look like it with cloudy skies, cool temperatures and rain threatening to fall as the riders lined up in Aurillac on Sunday morning. There would be no easy start for the peloton with the opening 142-kilometre stage providing five classified climbs, including one category 1 and two category 2.

With mountains points on offer and a chance that the breakaway might be able to stick it, there was plenty of competition to make it into the break. After 10 kilometres and a lot of attacking, a six-man move went clear of the peloton. The breakaway consisted of: Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale), Magnus Cort (Astana), Niklas Eg (Trek-Segafredo), Fabien Doubey (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Casper Pedersen (Team Sunweb), Julien Vermote (Dimension Data).

After 20 kilometres of racing, the gap had grown to almost three minutes, but that was soon cut down with Bora-Hansgrohe managing the pace in the bunch behind. The German team was hoping to set up their sprinter Sam Bennett, but it would be a difficult day out for the fast men.

The early story thread of the day was Casper Pedersen taking the points at the top of all the climbs, doing more than enough to secure himself the polka-dot jersey for day two. Though the gap would go back up to 3:15 with 90 kilometres to go, it would spend most of the day between the two and three-minute mark. Bora-Hansgrohe were ever present at the head of the peloton with the occasional help from a select few teams.

There was little real movement until the riders entered the finishing circuit and began climbing the Cote de Roquenatou for the first time. Vermote was the first of the breakaway riders to relent his place in the front group, dropping back to the peloton – and subsequently off the back of the peloton – with just over 40 kilometres remaining.

With the peloton ramping up the pace behind, the breakaway could not worry too much about losing a rider and had to forge on. They were not going to give up without a fight and they were flat out as they tried to hold off the baying pack. The speed would have casualties up front and behind, as riders continued to get dropped.

By the time the leaders hit the final climb it was just four riders left out front and they had just 20 seconds to play with. In the kilometres leading into the climb, Deceuninck-QuickStep had posted Tim Declercq to the front and Zdenek Stybar then moved to the fore as they took on the ascent. The Czech rider’s surge of pace blew the peloton apart, shattering the hopes of most of the sprinters that remained. Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Ineos) then slowed the pace, but it was too late for many.

Meanwhile, Bjorg Lambrecht took advantage of the lull and jumped clear, before joining the remaining two leaders, Cort and Naesen, with just over a kilometre to the top of the final climb. At times it looked like the catch might be imminent, but the trio were able to hold their slim advantage over the top and down the descent, extending it closer to 40 seconds at times. Gregor Muhlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) tried to bridge the gap, but he could not make it across.

It wasn’t going to be an easy catch for the peloton either as several teams, namely Mitchelton-Scott, really put the hammer down and strung the peloton out. At times it looked like the breakaway might just be able to hold the pack off, but in the end, it wasn’t to be as they eventually got reeled in with 600 metres to go.

Deceuninck-QuickStep wasted no time in working to line up the sprint for Gilbert, but Boasson Hagen held his nerve to out-kick him and take the victory.

Results :
1 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data 3:24:33
2 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
3 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma
4 Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
5 Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
7 Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC Team
8 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
9 Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
10 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Ineos
11 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
12 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
13 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Gobert
14 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education First
15 Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto Soudal
16 Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott
17 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Wanty-Gobert
18 Florian Stork (Ger) Team Sunweb
19 Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
20 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Ineos
21 Carl Fredrik Hagen (Nor) Lotto Soudal
22 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
23 Hernando Bohorquez (Col) Astana Pro Team
24 Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
25 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) EF Education First
26 Rafael Valls (Spa) Movistar Team
27 Bjorg Lambrecht (Bel) Lotto Soudal
28 Jack Haig (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
29 Wout Poels (Ned) Team Ineos
30 Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Movistar Team
31 Michael Woods (Can) EF Education First
32 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
33 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Ineos
34 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
35 Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
36 Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana Pro Team
37 Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Astana Pro Team
38 Serge Pauwels (Bel) CCC Team
39 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
40 Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team
41 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb
42 Richie Porte (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
43 Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott
44 Cristian Camilo Muñoz Lancheros (Col) UAE Team Emirates
45 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
46 Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Merida
47 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
48 Daniel Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates
49 Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
50 Warren Barguil (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
51 Joseph Rosskopf (USA) CCC Team
52 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
53 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) CCC Team
54 Sepp Kuss (USA) Team Jumbo-Visma
55 Steff Cras (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
56 Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Bahrain-Merida
57 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Team Ineos
58 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
59 Carlos Verona (Spa) Movistar Team
60 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
61 Jan Tratnik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
62 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:12
63 Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:24
64 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:27
65 Nicholas Schultz (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:34
66 Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty-Gobert 0:03:45
67 Quentin Pacher (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:03:50
68 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo
69 Natnael Berhane (Eri) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
70 Darwin Atapuma (Col) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
71 Pawel Bernas (Pol) CCC Team
72 Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
73 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Katusha-Alpecin
74 Logan Owen (USA) EF Education First
75 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
76 Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ned) Team Sunweb
77 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
78 Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal
79 Stefan De Bod (RSA) Dimension Data
80 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
81 Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
82 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
83 Neilson Powless (USA) Team Jumbo-Visma
84 Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
85 Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Education First
86 Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo
87 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Lotto Soudal
88 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team
89 José Gonçalves (Por) Katusha-Alpecin
90 Anthony Roux (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
91 Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
92 Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
93 Jesper Hansen (Den) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
94 Casper Pedersen (Den) Team Sunweb
95 Rob Power (Aus) Team Sunweb
96 Jérémy Maison (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
97 Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
98 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep
99 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Wanty-Gobert 0:04:54
100 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Ineos 0:06:16
101 Jacques Willem Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data
102 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
103 Nicholas Dlamini (RSA) Dimension Data
104 Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
105 Luka Mezgec (Slo) Mitchelton-Scott
106 Koen de Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
107 Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto Soudal
108 Niklas Eg (Den) Trek-Segafredo
109 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Ineos 0:10:46
110 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Katusha-Alpecin
111 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
112 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto Soudal
113 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
114 Tim Declercq (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
115 Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty-Gobert
116 Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
117 Felix Großschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
118 Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe
119 Rory Sutherland (Aus) UAE Team Emirates
120 James Whelan (Aus) EF Education First
121 Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
122 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep
123 Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
124 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb
125 Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
126 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe
127 Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain-Merida
128 Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
129 Maxime Cam (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
130 Arnaud Courteille (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
131 William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
132 Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team
133 Mads Schmidt Würtz (Den) Katusha-Alpecin
134 Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
135 Davide Ballerini (Ita) Astana Pro Team
136 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) CCC Team
137 Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) CCC Team 0:14:59
138 Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Bahrain-Merida
139 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team
140 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma
141 Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
142 André Greipel (Ger) Arkéa Samsic
143 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
144 Alvaro Hodeg (Col) Deceuninck-QuickStep
145 Lorrenzo Manzin (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
146 Julius van den Berg (Ned) EF Education First
147 Florian Vachon (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
148 Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data
149 Julien Vermote (Bel) Dimension Data
150 Martijn Tusveld (Ned) Team Sunweb
151 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
152 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
153 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension Data
154 Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Hansgrohe

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data 3:24:23
2 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:04
3 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:06
4 Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin 0:00:10
5 Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
7 Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC Team
8 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
9 Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
10 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Ineos
11 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
12 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
13 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Gobert
14 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education First
15 Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto Soudal
16 Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott
17 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Wanty-Gobert
18 Florian Stork (Ger) Team Sunweb
19 Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
20 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Ineos
21 Carl Fredrik Hagen (Nor) Lotto Soudal
22 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
23 Hernando Bohorquez (Col) Astana Pro Team
24 Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
25 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) EF Education First
26 Rafael Valls (Spa) Movistar Team
27 Bjorg Lambrecht (Bel) Lotto Soudal
28 Jack Haig (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
29 Wout Poels (Ned) Team Ineos
30 Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Movistar Team
31 Michael Woods (Can) EF Education First
32 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
33 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Ineos
34 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
35 Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
36 Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana Pro Team
37 Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Astana Pro Team
38 Serge Pauwels (Bel) CCC Team
39 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
40 Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team
41 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb
42 Richie Porte (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
43 Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott
44 Cristian Camilo Muñoz Lancheros (Col) UAE Team Emirates
45 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
46 Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Merida
47 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
48 Daniel Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates
49 Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
50 Warren Barguil (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
51 Joseph Rosskopf (USA) CCC Team
52 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
53 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) CCC Team
54 Sepp Kuss (USA) Team Jumbo-Visma
55 Steff Cras (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
56 Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Bahrain-Merida
57 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Team Ineos
58 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
59 Carlos Verona (Spa) Movistar Team
60 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
61 Jan Tratnik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
62 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:22
63 Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:34
64 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:37
65 Nicholas Schultz (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:44
66 Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty-Gobert 0:03:53
67 Quentin Pacher (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:04:00
68 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo
69 Natnael Berhane (Eri) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
70 Darwin Atapuma (Col) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
71 Pawel Bernas (Pol) CCC Team
72 Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
73 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Katusha-Alpecin
74 Logan Owen (USA) EF Education First
75 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
76 Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ned) Team Sunweb
77 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
78 Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal
79 Stefan De Bod (RSA) Dimension Data
80 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
81 Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
82 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
83 Neilson Powless (USA) Team Jumbo-Visma
84 Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
85 Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Education First
86 Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo
87 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Lotto Soudal
88 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team
89 José Gonçalves (Por) Katusha-Alpecin
90 Anthony Roux (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
91 Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
92 Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
93 Jesper Hansen (Den) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
94 Casper Pedersen (Den) Team Sunweb
95 Rob Power (Aus) Team Sunweb
96 Jérémy Maison (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
97 Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
98 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep
99 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Wanty-Gobert 0:05:04
100 Niklas Eg (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:06:25
101 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Ineos 0:06:26
102 Jacques Willem Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data
103 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
104 Nicholas Dlamini (RSA) Dimension Data
105 Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
106 Luka Mezgec (Slo) Mitchelton-Scott
107 Koen de Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
108 Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto Soudal
109 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Ineos 0:10:56
110 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Katusha-Alpecin
111 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
112 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto Soudal
113 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
114 Tim Declercq (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
115 Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty-Gobert
116 Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
117 Felix Großschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
118 Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe
119 Rory Sutherland (Aus) UAE Team Emirates
120 James Whelan (Aus) EF Education First
121 Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
122 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep
123 Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
124 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb
125 Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
126 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe
127 Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain-Merida
128 Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
129 Maxime Cam (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
130 Arnaud Courteille (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
131 William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
132 Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team
133 Mads Schmidt Würtz (Den) Katusha-Alpecin
134 Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
135 Davide Ballerini (Ita) Astana Pro Team
136 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) CCC Team
137 Julien Vermote (Bel) Dimension Data 0:15:06
138 Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) CCC Team 0:15:09
139 Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Bahrain-Merida
140 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team
141 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma
142 Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
143 André Greipel (Ger) Arkéa Samsic
144 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
145 Alvaro Hodeg (Col) Deceuninck-QuickStep
146 Lorrenzo Manzin (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
147 Julius van den Berg (Ned) EF Education First
148 Florian Vachon (Fra) Arkéa Samsic
149 Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data
150 Martijn Tusveld (Ned) Team Sunweb
151 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
152 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
153 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension Data
154 Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Hansgrohe