Criterium International: Froome & Porte go 1-2

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Stage 3: Chris Froome few up the final climb to take the stage and overall whilst teammate Richie Porte backed him up with second

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ASO Press Release

The final climb up to the Col de l’Ospedale promised an exciting battle between the favourites of the Criterium International, including the strong men of team Sky expected to play the leading roles.

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Photo ©ASO

Between Richie Porte, winner of yesterday’s time-trial and Chris Froome, announced as the team leader, it was finally the Brit who managed to pull away in the last five kilometres, claiming his first success on the event.

Seventeen years after Chris Boardman, another rider from Great Britain claimed the Criterium International, and a few years after Russell Downing’s stage win, this time on Corsican soil it was to be a Sky master-piece, as Richie Porte claimed second spot on the day and overall.

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Photo ©ASO

Voigt, young at heart
Many breakaway candidates gave it a go as soon in the first kilometres of the 179-km stage. As expected, Jens Voigt (RLT) was one of them. The German tried his luck on his own at kilometre 12 but his attempt was finally vain and he was caught three kilometres later.

At km 20, Florian Vachon managed to power away, taking with him five other men: Jérémy Roy (FDJ), Edwig Cammaerts (COF), Paul Poux (SOJ), Yann Huguet (ARG) and José Goncalves (LPM). The front group was soon to be caught by a seventh rider, Laurent Didier (RLT), who joined the breakaway at l.28.

The seven front men rapidly gained ground on the pack, not too concerned, at least until kilometre 40 where the escapees could enjoy a maximum 4’35 lead. Team Sky then really started chasing and the gap stabilised before dropping down.

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Photo © ASO

On the first climb, the Côte de Roccapina, Jérémy Roy showed his keen interest for the polka-dot jersey. First to the top, he continued collecting precious mountain points at the summit of the next climb, the Côte d’Orasi, while the gap had dropped down to 2’35.

Just after the intermediate sprint in Sartène (km 77), the riders from team Europcar joined in the pursuit alongside Sky. After Roy again made it first to the top of the Cote de Viggianello, the gap had dropped down to just 20″ at km 105. That was the moment chosen by Thomas Voeckler, Cyril Gautier and Kevin Reza (EUC) to launch a counter-attack.

They were soon joined by Frank (BMC), Mourey (FDJ) and Andy Schleck (RLT). On the climb up to the Col de Sainte-Lucie-de-Tallano, Gautier and Voeckler set an even faster pace and several riders were dropped. At the top, there were only three men left in the front group: Frank, Mourey and Voeckler while Schleck, Roy and Vachon were some 25” adrift and the pack just 50” behind.

Froome takes off
The first three chasing riders were rapidly caught by the pack at km 128 while the three leaders kept an interesting 1’ advantage at the top of the Col de Bacinu. With 41 kilometres still to be covered, and the hunt went on, led by an impressive Sky armada.

The escapees were finally caught just after the last intermediate sprint in Porto-Vecchio (km 159) claimed by Voeckler. During the first kilometres up to the Col de l’Ospedale, Sky powered away and several riders were dropped, including title-holder, Cadel Evans (BMC), leaving just 30 or so men in the pack.

With 8 kms left, only 20 remained and could still consider stage victory. Johan Tschopp was the first to attack, with 6 kms to go. Shortly after Chris Froome took off in decisive fashion (km 5). The Brit was followed by Jean-Christophe Péraud, but there wasn’t much the Frenchman could do against the runner-up of the last Tour de France who flew to stage victory and a first crown on the Criterium International.

Meanwhile, Richie Porte, who had reacted with two kilometres to go, managed to breakaway from the chasing group and captured second spot giving Sky and impressive 1-2 both on the stage and in the final GC. Fifth of the day, Tejay Van Garderen captured third spot on the podium and finishes best young rider of this 82nd edition.

Reactions

Chris Froome said afterwards “The stage panned out more or less how we expected. The plan was to control the race throughout the day. It was a huge job and we really put pressure on the other teams. Richie and I didn’t have to make any big efforts until right at the end there. The team did that work for us and all we had to do was finish it off.”

“I didn’t really intend to attack on the climb, but when the gap widened between myself and Richie, I felt I could go on, so I went for it. It was that quick thinking between us which brought about the victory and we couldn’t ask for any more than a one-two on the stage and GC.”

 I didn’t really intend to attack on the climb, but when the gap widened between myself and Richie, I felt I could go on, so I went for it.

Richie Porte, winner of Paris-Nice explained his race saying “Tactically we were spot on today. The team were absolutely incredible and it’s just a shame you don’t get to see all the work guys like Joe [Dombrowski], Jon [Tiernan-Locke], Xabi [Zandio], Kosta [Siutsou] and Vasil [Kiryienka] do to get us to that point where Froomey and I can attack at the end.”

“Froomey set a hard tempo after Kiryienka’s mammoth turn and I thought I’d let a small gap go to see what happened, and that was the last we saw of Froomey, he was gone (laughs). It wasn’t planned but it worked out perfectly. We ride together every day so we know each other so well, and when he went nobody reacted so he had to continue.”

Froomey set a hard tempo after Kiryienka’s mammoth turn and I thought I’d let a small gap go to see what happened, and that was the last we saw of Froomey, he was gone (laughs)

“As I said yesterday, the only important thing was that Team Sky won today. It’s always special to get a one-two on the podium, especially given the strength of the field we had here, and we’re super happy.”

Tejay van Garderen’s performance of third overall added to his runner-up finish at the Tour de San Luis in January and fourth place earlier this month at Paris-Nice.

“I wouldn’t say I had any real objectives coming into this race,” van Garderen said. “It would have been nice to get a stage win – maybe in the time trial – but I’m happy. Sky is obviously very strong and we are obviously going to have to step our game up if we’re going to be competitive with them,” van Garderen said.

STAGE 3
1 FROOME Christopher Sky Procycling 04:43:38
2 PORTE Richie Sky Procycling 00:30
3 MOLLEMA Bauke Blanco Pro Cycling Team 00:45
4 PERAUD Jean-christophe AG2R La Mondiale @ st
5 VAN GARDEREN Tejay BMC Racing Team @ st
6 TALANSKY Andrew Garmin – Sharp 00:53
7 TSCHOPP Johann IAM Cycling 00:57
8 GADRET John AG2R La Mondiale 01:07
9 FEDRIGO Pierrick Equipe Cycliste FDJ 01:08
10 BOUET Maxime AG2R La Mondiale @ st
11 MALACARNE Davide Europcar 01:32
12 BARDET Romain AG2R La Mondiale @ st
13 KL̦DEN Andr̩as RadioShack РLeopard 01:49
14 COPPEL Jérome Cofidis Solutions Crédits 02:14
15 ROGERS Michael Team Saxo-Tinkoff @ st
16 MOINARD Amaël BMC Racing Team 02:46
17 WYSS Marcel IAM Cycling 02:50
18 JUNGELS Bob RadioShack – Leopard 03:15
19 MONFORT Maxime RadioShack – Leopard 03:22
20 HIVERT Jonathan Sojasun 04:07
21 LAVIEU Antoine La Pomme Marseille 04:27
22 PAURIOL Rémi Sojasun @ st
23 MOREIRA PAULINHO Sergio Miguel Team Saxo-Tinkoff 04:59
24 VOECKLER Thomas Europcar 05:07
25 HERNáNDEZ BLAZQUEZ Jesús Team Saxo-Tinkoff 05:45
26 TAARAMäE Rein Cofidis Solutions Crédits 06:06
27 PANTANO GOMEZ Jarlinson Team Colombia 06:23
28 KIRYIENKA Vasil Sky Procycling 06:34
29 KING Benjamin RadioShack – Leopard @ st
30 BOOKWALTER Brent BMC Racing Team @ st
31 KORETZKY Clément Bretagne- Séché Environnement @ st
32 ATAPUMA HURTADO Jhon Darwin Team Colombia 06:43
33 FUMEAUX Jonathan IAM Cycling 07:08
34 ROUX Anthony Equipe Cycliste FDJ 09:33
35 LEVARLET Guillaume Cofidis Solutions Crédits @ st
36 HERMANS Ben RadioShack – Leopard @ st
37 SCHMIDT Fabien Sojasun @ st
38 LUDVIGSSON Tobias Team Argos – Shimano @ st
39 EL FARES Julien Sojasun @ st
40 KELDERMAN Wilco Blanco Pro Cycling Team @ st
41 FRANK Mathias BMC Racing Team @ st
42 BOARO Manuele Team Saxo-Tinkoff 11:07
43 REICHENBACH Sebastien IAM Cycling 11:11
44 TARRIDE Grégoire La Pomme Marseille 12:08
45 MOUREY Francis Equipe Cycliste FDJ 13:12
46 GAUTIER Cyrille Europcar 13:30
47 SIUTSOU Kanstantsin Sky Procycling @ st
48 ROY Jérémy Equipe Cycliste FDJ 14:06
49 EVANS Cadel BMC Racing Team 14:56
50 SUTHERLAND Rory Team Saxo-Tinkoff @ st
51 GESCHKE Simon Team Argos – Shimano @ st
52 RODRIGUEZ GALINDO Michael Team Colombia 17:08
53 TANKINK Bram Blanco Pro Cycling Team @ st
54 GERARD Arnaud Bretagne- Séché Environnement 18:28
55 TALABARDON Yannick Sojasun 19:11
56 SCHLECK Andy RadioShack – Leopard 21:57
57 GASTAUER Ben AG2R La Mondiale @ st
58 DELAPLACE Anthony Sojasun @ st
59 RIBLON Christophe AG2R La Mondiale @ st
60 MARENTES TORRES Wilson Alexander

OVERALL (FINAL)
1 FROOME Christopher Sky Procycling 06:55:23
2 PORTE Richie Sky Procycling 00:32
3 VAN GARDEREN Tejay BMC Racing Team 00:54
4 MOLLEMA Bauke Blanco Pro Cycling Team 01:00
5 PERAUD Jean-christophe AG2R La Mondiale @ st
6 TALANSKY Andrew Garmin – Sharp 01:08
7 BOUET Maxime AG2R La Mondiale 01:33
8 FEDRIGO Pierrick Equipe Cycliste FDJ 01:37
9 TSCHOPP Johann IAM Cycling 01:43
10 GADRET John AG2R La Mondiale 02:05
11 KL̦DEN Andr̩as RadioShack РLeopard 02:06
12 BARDET Romain AG2R La Mondiale 02:18
13 MALACARNE Davide Europcar 02:21
14 COPPEL Jérome Cofidis Solutions Crédits 02:33
15 ROGERS Michael Team Saxo-Tinkoff 02:43
16 MOINARD Amaël BMC Racing Team 03:19
17 JUNGELS Bob RadioShack – Leopard 03:30
18 WYSS Marcel IAM Cycling 03:31
19 MONFORT Maxime RadioShack – Leopard 03:51
20 HIVERT Jonathan Sojasun 04:35
21 PAURIOL Rémi Sojasun 04:58
22 MOREIRA PAULINHO Sergio Miguel Team Saxo-Tinkoff 05:28
23 LAVIEU Antoine La Pomme Marseille 05:40
24 VOECKLER Thomas Europcar @ st
25 TAARAMäE Rein Cofidis Solutions Crédits 06:40
26 HERNáNDEZ BLAZQUEZ Jesús Team Saxo-Tinkoff 06:54
27 KIRYIENKA Vasil Sky Procycling 06:56
28 KING Benjamin RadioShack – Leopard 07:04
29 BOOKWALTER Brent BMC Racing Team 07:09
30 PANTANO GOMEZ Jarlinson Team Colombia 07:12
31 KORETZKY Clément Bretagne- Séché Environnement 07:23
32 FUMEAUX Jonathan IAM Cycling 08:07
33 ATAPUMA HURTADO Jhon Darwin Team Colombia 08:35
34 KELDERMAN Wilco Blanco Pro Cycling Team 09:55
35 LUDVIGSSON Tobias Team Argos – Shimano 09:56
36 ROUX Anthony Equipe Cycliste FDJ 10:02
37 HERMANS Ben RadioShack – Leopard 10:04
38 FRANK Mathias BMC Racing Team 10:12
39 SCHMIDT Fabien Sojasun 10:15
40 EL FARES Julien Sojasun 10:20
41 LEVARLET Guillaume Cofidis Solutions Crédits 10:35
42 BOARO Manuele Team Saxo-Tinkoff 11:16
43 REICHENBACH Sebastien IAM Cycling 12:06
44 TARRIDE Grégoire La Pomme Marseille 12:50
45 SIUTSOU Kanstantsin Sky Procycling 14:09
46 GAUTIER Cyrille Europcar 14:20
47 MOUREY Francis Equipe Cycliste FDJ 14:26
48 ROY Jérémy Equipe Cycliste FDJ 14:36
49 GESCHKE Simon Team Argos – Shimano 15:26
50 SUTHERLAND Rory Team Saxo-Tinkoff 15:28
51 EVANS Cadel BMC Racing Team 15:49
52 RODRIGUEZ GALINDO Michael Team Colombia 18:04
53 TANKINK Bram Blanco Pro Cycling Team 18:26
54 GERARD Arnaud Bretagne- Séché Environnement 18:59
55 TALABARDON Yannick Sojasun 20:16
56 DELAPLACE Anthony Sojasun 22:48
57 SCHLECK Andy RadioShack – Leopard 22:49
58 GASTAUER Ben AG2R La Mondiale 23:14
59 RIBLON Christophe AG2R La Mondiale 23:17
60 MARENTES TORRES Wilson Alexander Team Colombia 23:27

 

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