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Sallanches
148 km
Sunday 13 June
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) won his first race after coming back from an injury. He arrived solo in Sallanches and Janez Brajokovic (RadioShack) confirmed being a solid leader. The Slovenian is the winner of the 62nd Critérium du Dauphiné ahead of Alberto Contador and Tejay Van Garderen.
Dumoulin was motivatedSamuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) was the first rider to attack soon after the start. He initiated a breakaway of eight riders with the reinforcement of Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank), Christophe Brandt (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Christian Meier (Garmin-Transitions), Kevin De Weert (Quick Step), Stéphane Augé and Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis), Dominik Roels (Milram) and Alan Perez (Euskaltel). They reached a maximum lead of 3.40 at km 19 but three teams weren’t happy to let these guys up the road. Liquigas-Doimo, Sky and Katusha combined their efforts to make the breakaway die slowly but surely.
Boasson Hagen, Le Mével and Millar in action
In the climb of côte des Rafforts, only three riders stayed away: Tjallingii, De Weert and Perez. Seven counter-attackers joined them: Mathieu Perget (Caisse d’Epargne), Igor Silin (Katusha), Ivan Santaromita (Liquigas), Christophe Le Mével (FDJ), Laurent Lefèvre (Bbox), Sébastien Minard (Cofidis) and Arkaitz Duran (Footon). Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky), Dario Cataldo (Quick Step) and Rémi Pauriol (Cofidis) reinforced the group. Successively, David Millar (Garmin), Mario Aerts (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Christian Knees (Milram) and Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel) increased the number of breakaway riders to 17.
Le Mével the most active
The 17 escapees had a maximum lead of 2.30 on the line of the first intermediate sprint at Praz-sur-Arly (km 74.5). HTC-Columbia took care of the chase until Ag2r-La Mondiale took over during the first of the five laps of the circuit of Sallanches where Bernard Hinault was crowned world champion thirty years ago. In the second ascent of the famous côte de Domancy, Millar attacked and Boasson Hagen countered. It reduced the front group to 12 riders with Silin and Le Mével being seen as the most active ones. In the last 20 kilometres, five riders took the command: Le Mével, Boasson Hagen, Silin, Duran and Santaromita.
Boasson Hagen triumphs in Sallanches
Boasson Hagen attacked solo in the last ascent of the côte de Domancy. He never panicked despite the wet surface in the downhill to Sallanches and won the last stage in the same style as Bernard Hinault in 1980. The first three riders on GC Janez Brajkovic, Alberto Contador and Tejay Van Garderen arrived together 40 seconds later and kept their positions.
We had a plan this morning to try and win the stage. That’s why Team Sky rode behind the early breakaway and I counter attacked to go to the front. It’s good to have managed to stay away. It’s nice to be back after my injury in April. I’m not a stressed guy so I took it easy. Now my form has showed to be back. I can go to the Tour de France to help the team and try and win a stage.
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky)
2. Duran (Footon) at 0.26
3. Silin (Katusha) at 0.31
4. Le Mével (FDJ) at 0.33
5. Van Garderen (HTC) at 0.39
Janez Brajkovic wins the 62nd Critérium du Dauphiné.
Boasson Hagen takes the win in Sallanches!
Boasson Hagen goes fast in the downhill to Sallanches. The road is wet. The Norwegian looks good with 2km to go.
Result of the fifth KOM at côte de Domancy, km 143
1. Boasson Hagen, 4 points
at 18 sec
2. Duran, 3 points
at 30 sec
3. Le Mével, 2 points
4. Duran, 1 point
Boasson Hagen has 45 seconds over the bunch. Duran, Le Mével and Silin stay in between. Sicard gets caught by the Contador/Brajkovic group.
