Peter Kennaugh wins solo at L’Alpe d’Huez
June 10 th 2017 - 15:10
17 riders in the lead after 35km
158 riders started stage 8 of the 69th Critérium du Dauphiné from Aoste to L'Alpe d'Huez, 168km. Two non-starters: Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) and Davide Formolo (Cannondale-Drapac). Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky) initiated the main breakaway of the day as he sped up in the first climb of the day, the category 4 côte de Berland (km 27.5). In three waves, a breakaway of 17 riders was eventually formed at km 35 with the addition of Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-La Mondiale), Jesus Herrada (Movistar), Koen Bouwman (LottoNL-Jumbo), Jelle Vanendert (Lotto-Soudal), Ignatas Konovalovas (FDJ), Maurits Lammertink (Katusha-Alpecin), Lennard Hofstede (Sunweb), Antonio Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), Simon Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac), Romain Sicard (Direct Energie), Scott Thwaites (Dimension Data), Ben Swift and Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates), Thomas Degand (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Delio Fernandez and Mauro Finetto (Delko Marseille Provence KTM).
Kennaugh and Swift away at col de Sarenne
Bouwman defended his lead in the King of the Mountains competition as he crested the col de Cucheron and the col de Porte in first position. The advantage of the 17 leaders was 5.10 at the exit of Grenoble (km74) as they headed towards the valley of the Oisans. A maximum time gap of 6 minutes was recorded at Vizille, km 93. In the much awaited ascent to the col de Sarenne, Fernandez, Vandendert and Kennaugh rode away from the front group. Herrada, Swift and Ulissi made it a six-man group in the most difficult climb of the day. Kennaugh and Swift formed a British duo at the summit while Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale) rode away solo from the yellow-jersey group controlled by race leader Richie Porte and his BMC team-mates. The Frenchman rejoined Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Drapac) who had gone clear from far out.
Richie Porte superior to Chris Froome
Kennaugh soloed to victory 3.3km before the end as he tackled the last part of the traditional ascent to L'Alpe d'Huez. Behind Bardet who got rid of Talansky in the final climb, Richie Porte sped up in the final kilometre. Alberto Contador managed to follow him initially but only stage 6 winner Jakob Fuglsang could hold his pace so the race leader increased his advantage over Chris Froome to more than one minute on GC ahead of the conclusive stage atop the Hors-Category climb to Plateau de Solaison this Sunday.