Criterium du Dauphiné 2021 – Stage 8 [LAST 15 KM]

June 6, 2021

Criterium du Dauphiné 2021 – Stage 8 – La Léchère-Les-Bains – Les Gets : 147 km

The Tour de France is less than a month away, but before we start the big lap around l’Hexagone the riders must first tackle the smaller lap around the Rhône-Alpes at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Back in its traditional early summer slot, this year’s race will see the return of its tried and trusted eight-day format, as well as iconic climbs like the Col de la Colombière and the Col de Joux Plane. With these mythical mountain passes on the menu and riders like Geraint Thomas, Miguel Ángel López, Nairo Quintana and David Gaudu on the start list, this year’s race is shaping up to be one of the most hotly-contested of the season. Over the last 70 years, the Critérium du Dauphiné has built a reputation for itself as a ‘mini Tour de France’ and this year’s edition is no different. With eight stages in southeast France, including a lumpy individual time trial and three summit finishes in the final three days, the 2021 race offers prospective Tour favourites everything they need to hone their form ahead of the main event later this summer. Unlike last year’s race, which was shortened to just five stages due to rescheduling changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s edition of the Dauphiné will run for eight days and start in the town of Issoire before heading east, deep into the high-mountains of the Rhône-Alpes.

After two previous runner-up spots at the Critérium du Dauphiné, Richie Porte (Ineos Grenadiers) sealed his first victory at the race with a controlled display on the final stage through the Haute-Savoie Alps to Les Gets.

The Australian was barely put in trouble during a stage which concluded with the HC-rated cliimb of the Col de Joux Plane before dropping into Morzine and then climbing to the finish. He fended off numerous attacks in the final kilometres, but finished safely alongside teammate Geraint Thomas in an elite GC group to take the overall title by 17 seconds from Astana-Premier Tech’s Alexey Lutsenko, with Thomas taking third.

Two minutes up the road, Mark Padun (Bahrain Victorious) rounded off a phenomenal weekend with his second stage win in two days, the 24-year-old also taking the mountain classification after making the day’s early break.

The Ukrainian dropped his breakaway companions on the early slopes of the Joux Plane with just under 30 kilometers to go, and he was never troubled from that point on, easily extending his advantage to over a minute at the top. All that remained was to stay safe on the descent before celebrating another mountain victory to round off the best week of his career.

“This race, having been second here twice and once year losing second in the last kilometre, to finally win it I’m just over the moon,” said Porte after the stage. “All the sacrifices, time away from my wife and two kids, is worth it. This team Ineos Grenadiers were just absolutely brilliant today.

“I know the descent of the Joux Plane well and we’ve done it many, many times, so decided to do it at my own pace. When I saw Geraint crash it wasn’t ideal for the last six kilometres. He has some pretty bad road rash, but he’ll be tip top for the Tour.”

While Porte took home the yellow jersey for the first time in his career, Padun enjoyed a last-day overhaul to take the blue and white polka dot jersey. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) took home the white young rider’s jersey, while Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) won the green points jersey.

How it unfolded

Unlike almost every other stage this week, the break on the final stage of the race formed relatively quickly.

Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo) and Franck Bonnamour (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) triggered the move and were quickly soon by a large group of riders: Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), Jorge Arcas, Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Patrick Konrad, Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe), Dorian Godon (AG2R Citroën), Warren Barguil (Arkéa Samsic), Harry Sweeny (Lotto Soudal), Mark Padun (Bahrain Victorious), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Sander Armée (Qhubeka Assos).

Their lead soon stretched to five minutes over the peloton, with a smaller group comprising Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Michael Valgren (EF Education-Nippo), Martijn Tusveld (Team DSM), Jan Bakelants (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert) in between trying to bridge up to the front. Although Wellens dropped away, this second group joined the break midway up the Aravis, with the peloton now 3-45 back.

As he had done previously on the previous second-category climb, Padun took maximum points at the summit of the Aravis, putting the Ukrainian eight behind mountains leader Lawson Craddock (EF Education-Nippo). When he then led over the first-category Col de la Colombière, the Bahrain rider took the lead in the KoM competition, Valgren, Politt and Barguil following over the top, with the peloton now within three minutes.

As soon as the break reached the first slopes of the super-category Joux Plane, Padun accelerated, Martin and Konrad tracking him briefly. Led by Ineos Grenadiers, the peloton started up the climb three minutes later. Ben Hermans (Israel Start-Up Nation) and Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) attempted to go clear of the yellow jersey group, but both were inexorably reeled back in by the Ineos train.

Jumbo-Visma’s Steven Kruijswijk was the next to try his luck, his teammate Sepp Kuss slipping out of the back of the group at almost the same time. Meanwhile, Movistar’s tactic of putting two riders in the break paid off as Erviti and Arcas dropped back to the yellow jersey group and started setting the pace, their pace reeling in Kruijswijk and slimming down the group.

When Erviti, Arcas and then Carlos Verona pulled aside, Ineos took over once again, no doubt expecting an attack from one of the Movistar leaders. It came from Miguel Ángel López, but the Colombian too was brought to heel by the Tao Geoghegan Hart-led yellow jersey group. Bahrain’s Jack Haig then chose that moment to attack and was the first of the GC contenders over the Joux Plane, his rivals just a handful of seconds behind.

Although Padun lost time on the descent to Morzine and the 5km climb up to Les Gets, his victory was never in doubt. He had enough of a gap to devote most of the last kilometer to his celebrations.

All of the key action was now taking place in the much-reduced yellow jersey group. Haig was caught on the descent off the Joux Plane, then Thomas lost his front wheel on a hairpin and slid to the deck. Though his shorts were ripped, he regained contact with the group on the climb to Les Gets.

While the Welshman recouped that lost ground, there were several attacks on Porte, Astana duo Ion Izagirre and Lutsenko the source of most of them. Just as Thomas rejoined, Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën) jumped away, the Australian seeking, vainly as it turned out, to gain a place or two on the overall classification. Thomas, meanwhile, powered through to the front of the yellow jersey group, his tempo preventing further attempts to unseat Porte right at the last.

Hitherto elusive, 36-year-old Richie Porte had won the Critérium du Dauphiné 36 years after the only previous Australian victor, Phil Anderson.

Results :
1 Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain Victorious 4:06:49
2 Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma 0:01:36
3 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
4 Ben O’Connor (Aus) AG2R Citroën Team 0:01:57
5 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:02:10
6 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
7 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech
8 Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers
9 Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious
10 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis
11 Miguel Angel Lopez Moreno (Col) Movistar Team
12 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe
13 Ion Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech
14 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:02:43
15 Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:50
16 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:04
17 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:04:04
18 Aurélien Paret Peintre (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
19 Damien Howson (Aus) Team BikeExchange
20 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
21 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
22 Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
23 Ben Hermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation 0:05:16
24 Nairo Quintana (Col) Team Arkea-Samsic
25 Dorian Godon (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
26 Carlos Verona Quintanilla (Spa) Movistar Team
27 Michel Ries (Lux) Trek-Segafredo 0:06:12
28 Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Trek-Segafredo
29 Joe Dombrowski (USA) UAE Team Emirates
30 Robert Gesink (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
31 Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates
32 Sander Armée (Bel) Team Qhubeka Assos
33 Michael Valgren (Den) EF Education-Nippo
34 Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech
35 Santiago Buitrago Sanchez (Col) Bahrain Victorious
36 Pierre Rolland (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
37 Chad Haga (USA) Team DSM 0:07:34
38 Felix Gall (Aut) Team DSM
39 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:07:43
40 Jorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar Team
41 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal 0:08:16
42 Simon Geschke (Ger) Cofidis
43 Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa) Ineos Grenadiers 0:09:50
44 Jaakko Hänninen (Fin) AG2R Citroën Team
45 Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain Victorious
46 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team
47 Fabio Aru (Ita) Team Qhubeka Assos 0:10:24
48 Sean Bennett (USA) Team Qhubeka Assos
49 Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates
50 Kévin Geniets (Lux) Groupama-FDJ
51 Chris Froome (GBr) Israel Start-up Nation
52 Carlos Barbero (Spa) Team Qhubeka Assos 0:12:33
53 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
54 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:13:13
55 Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Team BikeExchange
56 Sylvain Moniquet (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:14:12
57 Martijn Tusveld (Ned) Team DSM
58 Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
59 Timo Roosen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
60 Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma
61 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
62 Julien El Fares (Fra) EF Education-Nippo
63 Quentin Pacher (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:14:21
64 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis 0:17:21
65 Bruno Armirail (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:18:34
66 Lukasz Owsian (Pol) Team Arkea-Samsic
67 Laurent Pichon (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
68 Omer Goldstein (Isr) Israel Start-up Nation
69 Franck Bonnamour (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
70 Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education-Nippo
71 Nils Politt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:20:17
72 José Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team 0:20:57
73 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers 0:21:17
74 Andrey Amador (CRc) Ineos Grenadiers
75 Brent Van Moer (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:22:05
76 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
77 Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
78 Barnabás Peák (Hun) Team BikeExchange
79 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
80 Alex Aranburu Deba (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech
81 Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:23:41
82 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain Victorious
83 Marco Haller (Aut) Bahrain Victorious 0:25:24
84 Steff Cras (Bel) Lotto Soudal
85 Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Israel Start-up Nation
86 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
87 Maxime Chevalier (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
88 Frederik Wandahl (Den) Bora-Hansgrohe
89 Andres Camilo Ardila Ordoñez (Col) UAE Team Emirates
90 Pierre-Luc Périchon (Fra) Cofidis
91 William Barta (USA) EF Education-Nippo
92 Dylan Sunderland (Aus) Team Qhubeka Assos
93 Tony Martin (Ger) Jumbo-Visma
94 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech
95 Shane Archbold (NZl) Deceuninck-QuickStep
96 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
97 Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
98 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Ineos Grenadiers
99 Florian Senechal (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:26:49
100 Ilan Van Wilder (Bel) Team DSM 0:31:24
101 Jeremy Bellicaud (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
102 Marco Brenner (Ger) Team DSM
103 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
104 Nathan Haas (Aus) Cofidis
105 Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
106 Kevin Vermaerke (USA) Team DSM
107 Sebastian Schönberger (Aut) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
108 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
109 Sébastien Grignard (Bel) Lotto Soudal
110 Yuriy Natarov (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech
111 Théo Delacroix (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
112 Alexis Renard (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation
113 Alexander Cataford (Can) Israel Start-up Nation
114 Winner Anacona (Col) Team Arkea-Samsic
115 Martin Salmon (Ger) Team DSM
116 Josef Cerny (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep
117 Stijn Steels (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
118 Brent Bookwalter (USA) Team BikeExchange
DNF Hideto Nakane (Jpn) EF Education-Nippo
DNF Logan Owen (USA) EF Education-Nippo
DNF Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis
DNF Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis
DNF Patrick Gamper (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Mads Würtz Schmidt (Den) Israel Start-up Nation
DNF Clément Russo (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
DNF Harry Sweeny (Aus) Lotto Soudal
DNF Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Deceuninck-QuickStep
DNF Ryan Mullen (Irl) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Cyril Gautier (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
DNF Jasper De Plus (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux

Final General Classification :
1 Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers 29:37:05
2 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech 0:00:17
3 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:29
4 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:33
5 Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious 0:00:34
6 Miguel Angel Lopez Moreno (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:38
7 Ion Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech
8 Ben O’Connor (Aus) AG2R Citroën Team 0:00:47
9 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:12
10 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:01:57
11 Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:08
12 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:10
13 Aurélien Paret Peintre (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:03:11
14 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:03:18
15 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:03:29
16 Damien Howson (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:03:49
17 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:04:12
18 Nairo Quintana (Col) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:04:50
19 Ben Hermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation 0:05:34
20 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis 0:06:54
21 Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:06:56
22 Felix Gall (Aut) Team DSM 0:08:55
23 Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma 0:13:28
24 Michael Valgren (Den) EF Education-Nippo 0:14:51
25 Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain Victorious 0:18:12
26 Fabio Aru (Ita) Team Qhubeka Assos 0:18:31
27 Joe Dombrowski (USA) UAE Team Emirates 0:19:02
28 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:19:48
29 Pierre Rolland (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:20:55
30 Quentin Pacher (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:24:20
31 Carlos Verona Quintanilla (Spa) Movistar Team 0:26:02
32 Jaakko Hänninen (Fin) AG2R Citroën Team 0:26:27
33 Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa) Ineos Grenadiers 0:27:16
34 Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:28:01
35 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:28:23
36 Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain Victorious 0:28:41
37 Sylvain Moniquet (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:29:19
38 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:30:39
39 Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Team BikeExchange 0:33:20
40 Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates 0:33:35
41 Bruno Armirail (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:34:12
42 Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates 0:34:52
43 Robert Gesink (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:35:06
44 Ilan Van Wilder (Bel) Team DSM 0:39:26
45 Martijn Tusveld (Ned) Team DSM 0:40:28
46 Julien El Fares (Fra) EF Education-Nippo 0:40:59
47 Chris Froome (GBr) Israel Start-up Nation 0:41:47
48 Maxime Chevalier (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:43:17
49 Simon Geschke (Ger) Cofidis 0:43:49
50 Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech 0:43:59
51 Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma 0:45:03
52 Sean Bennett (USA) Team Qhubeka Assos 0:45:35
53 Sander Armée (Bel) Team Qhubeka Assos 0:46:46
54 Dorian Godon (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:47:27
55 Santiago Buitrago Sanchez (Col) Bahrain Victorious 0:48:45
56 Chad Haga (USA) Team DSM 0:48:46
57 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis 0:48:47
58 Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:50:11
59 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers 0:50:14
60 Michel Ries (Lux) Trek-Segafredo 0:50:42
61 Kévin Geniets (Lux) Groupama-FDJ 0:51:03
62 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo 0:52:47
63 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:53:46
64 Steff Cras (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:54:44
65 Lukasz Owsian (Pol) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:55:29
66 Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education-Nippo 0:55:47
67 José Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team 0:56:14
68 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Ineos Grenadiers 0:56:18
69 Jorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar Team 0:57:30
70 Kevin Vermaerke (USA) Team DSM 0:58:13
71 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team 0:58:28
72 Alex Aranburu Deba (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech 0:58:45
73 Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:59:05
74 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:59:26
75 Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Israel Start-up Nation
76 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain Victorious 0:59:43
77 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team 1:00:46
78 Nils Politt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 1:01:58
79 Omer Goldstein (Isr) Israel Start-up Nation 1:02:15
80 Timo Roosen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 1:02:54
81 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team 1:03:42
82 Marco Brenner (Ger) Team DSM 1:03:49
83 Brent Van Moer (Bel) Lotto Soudal 1:05:12
84 Franck Bonnamour (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 1:07:19
85 Alexander Cataford (Can) Israel Start-up Nation 1:07:53
86 Carlos Barbero (Spa) Team Qhubeka Assos 1:08:08
87 Laurent Pichon (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 1:10:23
88 Winner Anacona (Col) Team Arkea-Samsic 1:11:32
89 Sebastian Schönberger (Aut) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 1:11:38
90 Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 1:12:52
91 Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 1:13:56
92 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal 1:14:16
93 Andrey Amador (CRc) Ineos Grenadiers 1:19:57
94 William Barta (USA) EF Education-Nippo 1:21:46
95 Yuriy Natarov (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech 1:21:54
96 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 1:25:16
97 Brent Bookwalter (USA) Team BikeExchange 1:26:04
98 Barnabás Peák (Hun) Team BikeExchange 1:26:43
99 Dylan Sunderland (Aus) Team Qhubeka Assos 1:27:49
100 Pierre-Luc Périchon (Fra) Cofidis 1:28:36
101 Nathan Haas (Aus) Cofidis 1:31:43
102 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal 1:32:41
103 Andres Camilo Ardila Ordoñez (Col) UAE Team Emirates 1:34:24
104 Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 1:35:51
105 Théo Delacroix (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 1:36:13
106 Tony Martin (Ger) Jumbo-Visma 1:36:22
107 Sébastien Grignard (Bel) Lotto Soudal 1:36:42
108 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech 1:38:11
109 Jeremy Bellicaud (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 1:38:42
110 Marco Haller (Aut) Bahrain Victorious 1:41:06
111 Alexis Renard (Fra) Israel Start-up Nation 1:41:46
112 Stijn Steels (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 1:43:55
113 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 1:45:25
114 Shane Archbold (NZl) Deceuninck-QuickStep 1:48:09
115 Florian Senechal (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep 1:52:28
116 Martin Salmon (Ger) Team DSM 1:54:04
117 Frederik Wandahl (Den) Bora-Hansgrohe 1:58:43
118 Josef Cerny (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep 2:00:16