Criterium du Dauphine Stage 7

Behind Jumbo-Visma they ride at the front of the peloton, many in the peloton taking on bottled water to rehydrate and stay cool.

Here we go!

The breakaway begins at the Col de la Croix de Fer.

Mark Donovan (Team DSM) charged away to try and gain an advantage.

This tweet from Movistar shows the spectacular terrain the riders rode through today.

The valley road gives everyone in the race the opportunity to stock up on new bidons and food before the next climb.

You will need it later for the final two hours of racing and the 29km Col de la Croix de Fer.

As the stage profile shows, they now face a short descent and then up again.

The Col de la Croix de Fer climbs to 29 km with an irregular average gradient of 5.2% and again breaks the 2000 meter barrier.

These are the 18 riders up front:

Andrey Amador (Ineos Grenadiers), Matteo Fabbro (Bora-Hansgrohe), Luis Leon Sanchez (Bahrain Victorious), Gregor Muhlberger, Carlos Verona (Movistar), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Omer Goldstein (Israel Premier Tech), Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Andres Ardila (UAE Team Emirates), Kenny Elissonde, Toms Skujins, Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Victor Lafay (Cofidis), Simon Guglielmi (Arkea-Samsic), Laurens Huys (Intermarché-Wanty -Gobert Matériaux), Mark Donovan, Kevin Vermaerke (Team DSM), Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM).

They have a 2:00 lead over the peloton on Talstrasse.

As the valley approaches, the break has returned together.

There are 18 riders up front, the peloton at 2:20.

We might have two clear races now: for the stage win and for the yellow jersey.

85 km to go

Jumbo-Visma leads the peloton at 2:00.

Riders pass Valloire but don’t have time for a coffee break like so many riders do when climbing the Galibier.

Luis Leon Sanchez (Bahrain Victorious), Gregor Muhlberger, Carlos Verona (Movistar), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Omer Goldstein (Israel Premier Tech), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Victor Lafay (Cofidis) will soon join the front attack to make it 18 riders at the top.

keep running.

Long descents always help the best relegated to fill gaps and so Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo), Andres Ardila (UAE Team Emirates) and Andrey Amador (Ineos Grenadiers) Matteo Fabbro (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM) connected ) at the front of the race.

In fact, Amador walks away alone while accelerating.

We can count six different groups as the riders tumble down the descent past the monument to Marco Pantani, commemorating his solo attack in the rain over the Galibier from this side in 1998.

As expected, Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM) was first over the Galibier, scoring 15 points for his effort.

A fast descent of almost 20 km takes you to Valloire, then the descent takes you over the winding Col du Telegraaf into the valley of Saint Martin de Maurienne.

You go over the top and start the long, long descent back to the valley road.

105 km to go

There are several chasing groups scattered along the road as the summit approaches.

Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Andres Ardila (UAE Team Emirates), Victor Lafay (Cofidis) and Laurens Huys (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) are 20 seconds back.

Andrey Amador (Ineos Grenadiers), Carlos Verona (Movistar), Omer Goldstein (Israel Premier Tech), Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Toms Skujins and Kevin Vermaerke (Team DSM) are 10th ‘ Seconds later.

The peloton is at 50 seconds as they let the breakaways try to take control.

110 km to go

Riders are now just 2km from the summit.

You are near the Henri Desgrange monument, which commemorates the first organizer of the Tour de France, and then the last hairpin bends of the climb.

They soar in air.

Matteo Fabbro (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM) lead by 20 seconds, there is a chasing group of nine riders and then Ineos Grenadiers lead the field by 30 seconds.

A group of two riders and then some pursuers has formed as the road climbs and the view of the valley emerges with every meter of road climbed.

The Galibier is a real giant in the Alps and goes up to 2642m.

The climb is officially 22.8 km long and has written some legendary pages in the history of the sport.

These were the early attacks.

Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM) is back. The French veteran is keen to get the KOM points on the Galibier.

Meanwhile, other riders at the back of the peloton are suffering.

This is a short, intense, and painful phase for a bad day.

Laurens De Plus (Ineos Grenadiers), Matteo Fabbro (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo) have joined Rolland.

Other riders try to cross as the incline gets steeper.

115 km to go

Rolland now faces a tougher climb of 7.5km to the legendary Galbier summit.

Allez Rolland!

While the riders prepare to swing to the right and not the steeper slopes of the Galibier, Pierre Rolland managed on his own.

Other riders in the 29-man group are trying to chase him, but so is the peloton.

As the Dauphine scales the mountains, riders change bikes and test new gear for the fast approaching Tour de France.

Patrick Fletcher is in France for Cyclingnews and has discovered the new climbing bike Canyon Ultimate by Enric Mas.

Click below for full details and a photo gallery.

Exclusive: New Canyon Ultimate breaks cover at the Critérium du Dauphiné (opens in new tab)

Van Aert is part of a group of about 29 riders who have opened up a 10 second lead.

We see attacks for the stage and the GC or both. Even Wout van Aert is on his way!

This in-car shot of Rennfunk Race Director Seb Piquet shows how the peloton lined up.

Group compatto. For now, nothing can escape as drivers and teams chase each other.

Now Ineos Grenadiers send 2 drivers up the road but Jumbo follows them quickly.

125 km to go

The first attack from 12 riders was intercepted but more attacks are coming.

Drivers will soon be confronted with this.

The cruelly placed intermediate sprint after only 5km inspired attacks and tough races. Ethan Hayter won it ahead of Luis Leon Sanchez and Toms Skujins looking to attack, not just core points.

QuickStep-AlphaVinyl, EF Education-EasyPost, TotalEnergies, Trek-Segafredo, and Groupama-FDJ riders are all active.

This is an aggressive start to the stage.

The early part of the stage is a gradual climb up the Col du Lautaret before the right turn leads to the steeper slopes of the Galibier.

There are already attacks as the riders try to make up the day’s break.

Today’s stage starts in Saint-Chaffrey and immediately climbs the Col du Galibier.

This is the ‘lighter’ side of the Alpine giant and although it’s only 5.1% it’s 23 km long and climbs to 2642 meters where oxygen is hard to come by.

Click below to read the full story of Chris Froome’s decision to abandon the race.

Chris Froome is leaving the Criterium du Dauphine due to illness (opens in new tab)

They’re gone!

138 riders started on the seventh stage. There were three non-starters: Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe), Chris Froome (Israel Premier Tech) and Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange-Jayco).

So far we have had a Dauphine where Wout van Aert could have won all six stages. He’s won two and is agonizingly close to winning three more for Jumbo-Visma.

It’s difficult to map out a route for each race that limits Van Aert’s chances and his victory over Mont Ventoux at last year’s Tour makes overall victory a possible scenario. His place at the top of the table by over a minute only adds to speculation of a GC bid.

It’s a big day for Wout van Aert and Jumbo-Visma.

Riders coast out for 4km of neutralized driving.

It’s going to be a short but very tough stage so most riders have been warming up on the rollers.

As the Cyclingnews airship gains altitude, the riders line up in the sun for the start of the stage.

Bonjour and welcome to our live broadcast of stage seven of the Critérium du Dauphiné.

Finally time for the ascent to the high Alps.