And to the final stage of this year's Dauphine. Gadret has the slenderest of leads over Dekker. If Dekker can take just seven seconds from the Frenchman then he will be the winner but with a finish like this it will take something special to drop the Frenchman.
A break of five gets away immediately and by the first sprint, Mehr-Wenige, Coyot, Salerno, Facci and Vandborg already have a lead of nearly two and a half minutes.
There is not much urgency in the chase and as the road begins to climb the escapees have a lead of 7'52". There are just over 70k to go.
3k to the summit and they still have over 5 minutes.
There are the usual attacks close to the summit from the favorites in the pack as they go after the peanuts on offer for being sixth thru' a KOM checkpoint, but as we go down the descent on the other side it looks increasingly unlikely that the break have any chance today. Into the valley before the second climb and it's just 2'30" back to the pack.
Brajkovic launches a big attack as the peloton reaches the foot of this 8k climb. Plenty of riders try their luck after him and this dooms the efforts of the break.
Gomez Marchante is the strongest on this climb and by the time we reach the summit he has carved out a gap.
Close behind him are Serpa, Fothen, Di Luca, Brajkovic, Gesink and Kasheckin and it looks for a while that these 7 strong riders might be away.
A complete lack of effort again on the downhill means that the small chasing pack mange to reel them in before the final climb begins.
Here again Brajkovic is first to attack. Kasheckin counters. Dekker makes a move and race leader Gadret has no one in the lead group to help. He goes too. Intxausti doesn't want to miss out so he tries as well. Popovych in the KOM jersey today also decides the time is right.
The net result is that Popovych makes it over the summit first. Brajkovic is behind him, then Kasheckin. It looks as if Gadret is struggling but an attack as we go over the summit sees him regain contact with Dekker who looks to have got away from him.
And what do you know? With the attacks, a group of six is formed - Gadret, Intxausti, Dekker, Kasheckin, Popovych and Brajkovic. Amazingly they do not sit up on the downhill and wait for those behind. It's hell for leather on the descent and in to the finish.
1k to go now and is there going to be a sprint?
Yes there is. Only 700 meters to go.
It is agonizingly close at the front - but at the back of the group it looks as if Gadret might have been gapped....
Kasheckin has the stage by a whisker, but what are those French judges going to do about fellow Frenchman Gadret??? Dekker only needs seven seconds....
Stage Result
1
Andrei Kashechkin
Lipton Ice Tea
3h34'41
2
Jaroslav Popovych
Unicef RT
s.t.
3
Janez Brajkovic
Wii Racing
s.t.
4
Thomas Dekker
Philips - Hummel
s.t.
5
Beñat Intxausti
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
6
John Gadret
Crédit Lyonnais
s.t.
7
Carlos Castaño
Festina - Seiko
+ 58
8
José Angel Gomez Marchante
Eurosport
+ 1'22
9
Bernhard Kohl
Domina Vacanze
s.t.
10
Robert Gesink
Rabobank
s.t.
11
Markus Fothen
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 1'57
12
Egoi Martínez de Esteban
Philips - Hummel
s.t.
13
Jairo Agudelo
Unicef RT
s.t.
14
Konstantin Siutsou
White Bear - Wild Horse
s.t.
15
Stefan Schumacher
Wii Racing
s.t.
16
Jackson Rodríguez
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 2'13
17
Matthieu Sprick
Wikipedia
s.t.
18
Petar Panayotov
SIC Radical - Timberland
s.t.
19
Ivan Parra Pinto
American Suzuki
s.t.
20
Francisco Mancebo
Eurosport
s.t.
21
Andrei Grivko
Team B&O
s.t.
22
Marcus Burghardt
Wikipedia
s.t.
23
Vitor Rodrigues
Lipton Ice Tea
s.t.
24
Pierre Rolland
Philips - Hummel
s.t.
25
Theo Eltink
Philips - Hummel
s.t.
26
Christophe Riblon
Wii Racing
s.t.
27
Sandy Casar
Rabobank
s.t.
28
Jaime Suaza
Unicef RT
s.t.
29
Andreas Klöden
Eurosport
s.t.
30
Rémy Di Gregorio
Rabobank
s.t.
31
José Serpa
American Suzuki
s.t.
32
Ryder Hesjedal
Domina Vacanze
s.t.
33
Carl Naibo
Domina Vacanze
s.t.
34
Taylor Phinney
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
s.t.
35
Danilo Di Luca
La Gazzetta dello Sport
s.t.
36
Iban Mayo
Festina - Seiko
s.t.
37
Sébastien Ivars
Wikipedia
s.t.
38
Carlos Sastre
Warner Brothers
s.t.
39
Martin Hacecký
Team B&O
s.t.
40
Juan Mora
Wii Racing
s.t.
41
Fredy Montaña
Unicef RT
s.t.
42
Cristiano Salerno
White Bear - Wild Horse
+ 4'46
43
Mauro Facci
Warner Brothers
s.t.
44
Brian Vandborg
Festina - Seiko
+ 5'46
45
Cyril Dessel
Eurosport
s.t.
46
Xavier Tondo
British Airways - Martini
s.t.
47
Amaël Moinard
Rabobank
+ 6'18
48
Mikayil Krasnoperov
Rabobank
s.t.
49
Michael Albasini
Wii Racing
s.t.
50
Laurens Ten Dam
Rabobank
s.t.
51
Dietmar Mehr-Wenige
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
s.t.
52
David Moncoutié
Rabobank
s.t.
53
Michael Rasmussen
Philips - Hummel
+ 6'50
54
Jurgen Van Goolen
Festina - Seiko
s.t.
55
Blaise Sonnery
Crédit Lyonnais
s.t.
56
Massimiliano Maisto
La Gazzetta dello Sport
s.t.
57
Paolo Tiralongo
La Gazzetta dello Sport
s.t.
58
Philip Deignan
Eurosport
s.t.
59
Sylwester Szmyd
La Gazzetta dello Sport
s.t.
60
Bradley McGee
American Suzuki
s.t.
61
Christophe Le Mével
Philips - Hummel
s.t.
62
Sid Taberlay
Domina Vacanze
s.t.
63
Andrei Amador
White Bear - Wild Horse
s.t.
64
Víctor Hugo Orozco
Unicef RT
s.t.
65
José Antonio Redondo
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
s.t.
66
Franklin Chacon
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
67
Paolo Savoldelli
Wii Racing
s.t.
68
Marco Fertonani
Warner Brothers
+ 8'18
69
Andrei Sartasov
Eurosport
s.t.
70
Jérôme Pineau
Wikipedia
s.t.
71
Jerome Coppel
Wikipedia
s.t.
72
Mauro Santambrogio
La Gazzetta dello Sport
s.t.
73
Dimitri Claeys
Domina Vacanze
s.t.
74
John-Lee Augustyn
White Bear - Wild Horse
s.t.
75
Stefano Garzelli
Eurosport
s.t.
76
Cyril Gautier
Crédit Lyonnais
s.t.
77
Yoann Offredo
Rabobank
s.t.
78
Andrea Moletta
American Suzuki
s.t.
79
Arnaud Coyot
Lipton Ice Tea
s.t.
80
William Walker
SIC Radical - Timberland
s.t.
81
Christoph Mai
White Bear - Wild Horse
s.t.
82
Mitja Mahoric
Lipton Ice Tea
s.t.
83
Matej Mugerli
La Gazzetta dello Sport
s.t.
84
Maxime Bouet
Team B&O
+ 9'54
85
Leonardo Duque
Wii Racing
s.t.
86
Mathieu Perget
Crédit Lyonnais
s.t.
87
Christophe Kern
Philips - Hummel
s.t.
88
Frederik Nolf
Festina - Seiko
s.t.
89
Eric Berthou
SIC Radical - Timberland
s.t.
90
Drasutis Stundzia
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
91
Chris Barton
Wikipedia
s.t.
92
David Deroo
Wikipedia
s.t.
93
Romain Vanderbiest
SIC Radical - Timberland
s.t.
94
Laurent Lefèvre
British Airways - Martini
s.t.
95
Laurent Mangel
Crédit Lyonnais
s.t.
96
Kévin Lalouette
Crédit Lyonnais
s.t.
97
Christian Poos
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
98
Vladimir Miholjevic
British Airways - Martini
s.t.
99
David Claerebout
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
100
Michiel Elijzen
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 11'58
101
Mauro Da Dalto
Domina Vacanze
+ 12'50
102
Kristian House
THE CONTROL TEAM
s.t.
103
Sebastien Einsle
Accumalux-Huez
+ 15'10
104
André Steensen
Team B&O
s.t.
105
Anthony Lavoine
Festina - Seiko
+ 23'50
106
Samuel Dumoulin
Crédit Lyonnais
s.t.
107
Patxi Vila
Unicef RT
s.t.
108
Steven Caethoven
White Bear - Wild Horse
s.t.
109
Logan Hutchings
Lipton Ice Tea
s.t.
110
Graeme Brown
White Bear - Wild Horse
s.t.
111
Klaas Sys
Wikipedia
s.t.
112
Robert Förster
Wii Racing
s.t.
113
Tim Nederlof
American Suzuki
s.t.
114
Maxime Vantomme
Philips - Hummel
s.t.
115
Roman Kreuziger
Team B&O
s.t.
116
Clément Lhotellerie
Unicef RT
s.t.
117
Peter Williams
THE CONTROL TEAM
s.t.
118
Alberto Loddo
Lipton Ice Tea
s.t.
119
Paul Healion
Eurosport
s.t.
120
Ananias Ananias
THE CONTROL TEAM
s.t.
121
Erik Hoffmann
British Airways - Martini
s.t.
122
Andreas Klier
American Suzuki
s.t.
123
Danilo Wyss
Domina Vacanze
s.t.
124
Aleksandr Bespalov
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
s.t.
125
William Bonnet
Crédit Lyonnais
s.t.
126
Geraint Thomas
British Airways - Martini
s.t.
127
Wouter Weylandt
Warner Brothers
s.t.
128
Evert Verbist
Domina Vacanze
s.t.
129
Matthieu Ladagnous
American Suzuki
s.t.
130
Rafael Rodríguez Segarra
La Gazzetta dello Sport
s.t.
131
Alberto Ongarato
Warner Brothers
s.t.
132
Sébastien Chavanel
SIC Radical - Timberland
s.t.
133
Gatis Smukulis
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
134
Aleksandr Mironov
Lipton Ice Tea
s.t.
135
Ivan Kovalev
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
s.t.
136
Marcel Kittel
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
137
Ian Stannard
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
s.t.
138
Kristof Goddaert
Festina - Seiko
s.t.
139
Thomas Riber-Sellebjerg
Team B&O
s.t.
140
Alex Rasmussen
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
s.t.
141
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke
THE CONTROL TEAM
s.t.
142
Sven Nooytens
Lipton Ice Tea
s.t.
143
Troels Vinter
Team B&O
s.t.
144
Mathieu Bernaudeau
Festina - Seiko
s.t.
145
Kobe Vanoverschelde
Team B&O
s.t.
146
Carlos Alexandre Manarelli
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
s.t.
147
Steven De Jongh
Warner Brothers
s.t.
148
Matthew Brammeier
British Airways - Martini
s.t.
149
Christian Frommelt
British Airways - Martini
s.t.
150
Roman Maksimov
White Bear - Wild Horse
s.t.
151
Lars Tommersen
British Airways - Martini
s.t.
152
Mads Kaggestad
Warner Brothers
s.t.
153
Michael Ford
La Gazzetta dello Sport
s.t.
154
Sean Finning
Unicef RT
s.t.
Overall
A surprise - but John Gadret is winner of this edition of the Dauphine.
1
John Gadret
Crédit Lyonnais
28h06'34
2
Thomas Dekker
Philips - Hummel
+ 7
3
Beñat Intxausti
Accumalux-Huez
+ 36
4
Jaroslav Popovych
Unicef RT
+ 1'42
5
Andrei Kashechkin
Lipton Ice Tea
+ 2'14
6
Carlos Castaño
Festina - Seiko
+ 2'37
7
Janez Brajkovic
Wii Racing
+ 2'47
8
Robert Gesink
Rabobank
+ 3'24
9
Markus Fothen
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 5'05
10
José Angel Gomez Marchante
Eurosport
+ 5'10
11
José Serpa
American Suzuki
+ 5'56
12
Bernhard Kohl
Domina Vacanze
+ 6'12
13
Danilo Di Luca
La Gazzetta dello Sport
+ 6'53
14
Andreas Klöden
Eurosport
+ 7'47
15
Jairo Agudelo
Unicef RT
+ 9'10
16
Iban Mayo
Festina - Seiko
+ 9'17
17
Francisco Mancebo
Eurosport
+ 9'31
18
Konstantin Siutsou
White Bear - Wild Horse
+ 9'39
19
Sandy Casar
Rabobank
+ 9'40
20
Ivan Parra Pinto
American Suzuki
+ 11'16
21
Jaime Suaza
Unicef RT
+ 11'52
22
Taylor Phinney
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
+ 11'59
23
Sébastien Ivars
Wikipedia
+ 12'10
24
Ryder Hesjedal
Domina Vacanze
+ 12'21
25
Carl Naibo
Domina Vacanze
+ 12'31
26
Rémy Di Gregorio
Rabobank
+ 12'32
27
Theo Eltink
Philips - Hummel
+ 12'38
28
Andrei Grivko
Team B&O
+ 12'54
29
Martin Hacecký
Team B&O
+ 14'03
30
Vitor Rodrigues
Lipton Ice Tea
+ 14'04
31
Carlos Sastre
Warner Brothers
+ 14'13
32
Christophe Riblon
Wii Racing
+ 14'18
33
Matthieu Sprick
Wikipedia
+ 14'28
34
Egoi Martínez de Esteban
Philips - Hummel
+ 14'52
35
Petar Panayotov
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 16'11
36
Stefan Schumacher
Wii Racing
+ 18'40
37
Andrei Amador
White Bear - Wild Horse
+ 19'10
38
Jackson Rodríguez
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 19'20
39
Xavier Tondo
British Airways - Martini
+ 19'38
40
Paolo Tiralongo
La Gazzetta dello Sport
+ 19'57
41
Amaël Moinard
Rabobank
+ 20'43
42
Philip Deignan
Eurosport
+ 20'45
43
Sylwester Szmyd
La Gazzetta dello Sport
+ 20'49
44
Víctor Hugo Orozco
Unicef RT
+ 22'06
45
Fredy Montaña
Unicef RT
+ 22'10
46
Juan Mora
Wii Racing
+ 22'37
47
Michael Rasmussen
Philips - Hummel
+ 23'33
48
Cyril Dessel
Eurosport
+ 23'55
49
David Moncoutié
Rabobank
+ 23'58
50
Laurens Ten Dam
Rabobank
+ 24'08
51
Massimiliano Maisto
La Gazzetta dello Sport
+ 25'23
52
Franklin Chacon
Accumalux-Huez
+ 26'30
53
Pierre Rolland
Philips - Hummel
+ 26'45
54
Stefano Garzelli
Eurosport
+ 26'49
55
Jurgen Van Goolen
Festina - Seiko
+ 28'01
56
Mikayil Krasnoperov
Rabobank
+ 28'19
57
Andrei Sartasov
Eurosport
+ 29'27
58
Paolo Savoldelli
Wii Racing
+ 30'14
59
Marcus Burghardt
Wikipedia
+ 30'47
60
Bradley McGee
American Suzuki
+ 31'25
61
Jerome Coppel
Wikipedia
+ 31'27
62
Cristiano Salerno
White Bear - Wild Horse
+ 34'50
63
Marco Fertonani
Warner Brothers
+ 34'59
64
John-Lee Augustyn
White Bear - Wild Horse
+ 35'08
65
Cyril Gautier
Crédit Lyonnais
+ 35'28
66
Mauro Santambrogio
La Gazzetta dello Sport
+ 36'02
67
Blaise Sonnery
Crédit Lyonnais
+ 36'03
68
Christophe Le Mével
Philips - Hummel
+ 36'49
69
Christoph Mai
White Bear - Wild Horse
+ 36'53
70
Mauro Facci
Warner Brothers
+ 37'11
71
Drasutis Stundzia
Accumalux-Huez
+ 37'25
72
Yoann Offredo
Rabobank
+ 38'55
73
José Antonio Redondo
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
+ 39'14
74
Mitja Mahoric
Lipton Ice Tea
+ 39'30
75
Patxi Vila
Unicef RT
+ 39'49
76
Dimitri Claeys
Domina Vacanze
+ 40'44
77
Jérôme Pineau
Wikipedia
+ 41'06
78
Andrea Moletta
American Suzuki
+ 41'41
79
David Deroo
Wikipedia
+ 42'13
80
Laurent Lefèvre
British Airways - Martini
+ 42'29
81
Romain Vanderbiest
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 43'11
82
Mathieu Perget
Crédit Lyonnais
+ 43'25
83
Kévin Lalouette
Crédit Lyonnais
+ 44'18
84
Brian Vandborg
Festina - Seiko
+ 44'23
85
William Walker
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 45'57
86
David Claerebout
Accumalux-Huez
+ 47'18
87
Maxime Bouet
Team B&O
+ 47'41
88
Christian Poos
Accumalux-Huez
+ 49'34
89
Matej Mugerli
La Gazzetta dello Sport
+ 49'36
90
Michiel Elijzen
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 50'44
91
Christophe Kern
Philips - Hummel
+ 50'46
92
Eric Berthou
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 51'36
93
Sid Taberlay
Domina Vacanze
+ 52'08
94
Michael Albasini
Wii Racing
+ 52'33
95
Leonardo Duque
Wii Racing
+ 52'34
96
Chris Barton
Wikipedia
+ 54'09
97
Frederik Nolf
Festina - Seiko
+ 55'05
98
Roman Kreuziger
Team B&O
+ 56'51
99
Laurent Mangel
Crédit Lyonnais
+ 58'15
100
Dietmar Mehr-Wenige
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
+ 1h04'24
101
Rafael Rodríguez Segarra
La Gazzetta dello Sport
+ 1h04'32
102
Vladimir Miholjevic
British Airways - Martini
+ 1h06'06
103
Samuel Dumoulin
Crédit Lyonnais
+ 1h06'40
104
Mauro Da Dalto
Domina Vacanze
+ 1h11'30
105
André Steensen
Team B&O
+ 1h16'40
106
Arnaud Coyot
Lipton Ice Tea
+ 1h17'55
107
Matthieu Ladagnous
American Suzuki
+ 1h21'23
108
Sebastien Einsle
Accumalux-Huez
+ 1h22'16
109
Logan Hutchings
Lipton Ice Tea
+ 1h22'29
110
Clément Lhotellerie
Unicef RT
+ 1h22'46
111
Anthony Lavoine
Festina - Seiko
+ 1h26'20
112
Danilo Wyss
Domina Vacanze
+ 1h29'20
113
William Bonnet
Crédit Lyonnais
+ 1h30'38
114
Erik Hoffmann
British Airways - Martini
+ 1h34'31
115
Gatis Smukulis
Accumalux-Huez
+ 1h34'42
116
Kristian House
THE CONTROL TEAM
+ 1h35'46
117
Paul Healion
Eurosport
+ 1h36'21
118
Alberto Loddo
Lipton Ice Tea
+ 1h38'24
119
Klaas Sys
Wikipedia
+ 1h39'14
120
Aleksandr Bespalov
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
+ 1h41'43
121
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke
THE CONTROL TEAM
+ 1h45'31
122
Marcel Kittel
Accumalux-Huez
+ 1h46'42
123
Geraint Thomas
British Airways - Martini
+ 1h47'39
124
Tim Nederlof
American Suzuki
+ 1h49'14
125
Evert Verbist
Domina Vacanze
+ 1h49'22
126
Andreas Klier
American Suzuki
+ 1h49'31
127
Kristof Goddaert
Festina - Seiko
+ 1h49'44
128
Ivan Kovalev
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
+ 1h49'49
129
Steven Caethoven
White Bear - Wild Horse
+ 1h49'53
130
Maxime Vantomme
Philips - Hummel
+ 1h50'01
131
Mathieu Bernaudeau
Festina - Seiko
+ 1h50'08
132
Aleksandr Mironov
Lipton Ice Tea
+ 1h50'16
133
Wouter Weylandt
Warner Brothers
+ 1h50'33
134
Ian Stannard
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
+ 1h51'22
135
Robert Förster
Wii Racing
s.t.
136
Kobe Vanoverschelde
Team B&O
+ 1h51'50
137
Ananias Ananias
THE CONTROL TEAM
+ 1h52'38
138
Alex Rasmussen
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
+ 1h53'18
139
Peter Williams
THE CONTROL TEAM
+ 1h55'53
140
Graeme Brown
White Bear - Wild Horse
+ 1h55'58
141
Carlos Alexandre Manarelli
Virgin Media - Caisse d'Epargne
+ 1h56'01
142
Steven De Jongh
Warner Brothers
+ 1h56'59
143
Sven Nooytens
Lipton Ice Tea
+ 2h00'17
144
Thomas Riber-Sellebjerg
Team B&O
+ 2h02'27
145
Sean Finning
Unicef RT
+ 2h02'44
146
Mads Kaggestad
Warner Brothers
+ 2h03'03
147
Sébastien Chavanel
SIC Radical - Timberland
+ 2h04'37
148
Christian Frommelt
British Airways - Martini
+ 2h06'45
149
Lars Tommersen
British Airways - Martini
+ 2h07'48
150
Roman Maksimov
White Bear - Wild Horse
+ 2h08'01
151
Matthew Brammeier
British Airways - Martini
+ 2h09'05
152
Troels Vinter
Team B&O
+ 2h10'05
153
Alberto Ongarato
Warner Brothers
+ 2h10'38
154
Michael Ford
La Gazzetta dello Sport
+ 2h11'57
Points
The first of Thomas Dekker's consolations.
1
Thomas Dekker
Philips - Hummel
137
2
Jerome Coppel
Wikipedia
120
3
Carlos Castaño
Festina - Seiko
75
4
Beñat Intxausti
Accumalux-Huez
72
5
Jaroslav Popovych
Unicef RT
67
6
Robert Gesink
Rabobank
61
7
John Gadret
Crédit Lyonnais
52
8
Markus Fothen
SIC Radical - Timberland
50
9
Andrei Kashechkin
Lipton Ice Tea
49
10
Janez Brajkovic
Wii Racing
45
KOM
A second consolation for Dekker.
1
Thomas Dekker
Philips - Hummel
93
2
Jaroslav Popovych
Unicef RT
90
3
Robert Gesink
Rabobank
86
4
Andrei Kashechkin
Lipton Ice Tea
80
5
Janez Brajkovic
Wii Racing
80
6
José Angel Gomez Marchante
Eurosport
77
7
John Gadret
Crédit Lyonnais
70
8
Markus Fothen
SIC Radical - Timberland
69
9
José Serpa
American Suzuki
57
10
Beñat Intxausti
Accumalux-Huez
56
Young
The third jersey Dekker takes as a consolation.
Team
Eurosport are not near the bottom of the team competition here though the rider is obviously not used to being on the podium and has no idea what to do.