Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) Â won the opening battle in the Dauphine beating Porte, Froome and Dan Martin in the short mountain time trial
![]() |
Team News – Contador beats Froome in Dauphine TT
Tinkoff Pro Cycling Team Press Release
The much-anticipated Critérium du Dauphiné began today with a formidable uphill prologue. The route to Le Mont Chery from Les Gets featured gradients of over 20% – a course that would soon mark out who was on form and who wasn’t.
As one of the last riders out, Tinkoff’s leader, Alberto Contador, started out strong, first taking the provisional lead, before taking the stage win with an advantage of six seconds.
A fearsome uphill prologue started the Critérium du Dauphiné. The prologue’s 3.9km uphill time trial, featuring an average gradient of 9.7%, was one of the race’s most exciting and toughest starts in recent history – and of any race in the professional cycling calendar. The 3.9km distance was deceptive, as in spite of the short distance, the road ahead of the riders was steep and was only going to get steeper.
With a tough opening kilometre at an average gradient of 6.1%, this already difficult start swiftly rose to a maximum gradient of more than 20% before the finish in Le Mont Chery. Even for the strongest riders, this wasn’t going to be an easy day.
Starting his campaign as one of the last riders out, Alberto’s GC rivals had already set some incredibly strong times on the course, with the fastest coming home in under twelve minutes. With Alberto passing his minute-man with ease, the scenes on the climb resembled a full mountain stage, with spectators lining the roads to give the Tinkoff leader their full support.
Sport Director, Steven De Jongh, said the atmosphere was great for the riders. “There were a lot of people on the climb. There was no room for camper vans so people had to make an effort to walk up the climb, but still there was a great atmosphere.â€
Alberto’s split times showed that he was performing well, but some of the steepest sections of the day were still to come. The last hairpins out of the way, and looking comfortable, it was a straight run in to the finish line – and the crowds already knew that the Spanish rider was going to start his race with a stage win.
Alberto crossed the line with a time of 11’36†and held the provisional lead by an incredible thirteen seconds. With all riders in, Alberto took the stage win with six seconds separating him and second place. … continued after advert
With such a strong field, Alberto was surprised to have won the stage. “I knew there was a good trial on this course but I didn’t know if it were tough enough to win. My legs were missing speed, my heart was beating like crazy but I can’t say it’s a surprise to beat Chris Froome however, I didn’t expect to win. It was a very hard time trial, especially from km 2 to 1km to go with a gradient of more than 20%. You had to do the first part really fast and keep the rhythm there as well. The fact it was hard suited me really well.â€
While taking a stage win today, Alberto was well aware there was a lot of racing still to come. “Today was a perfect a perfect day. We had a short race, we had to do it a full pace and from now we will take the race day by day. The time gaps are very small and some teams, especially Sky, came here to win. They brought a team with four or five riders that could claim the GC. I think they are the ones that will go for it.â€
Tomorrow’s first road stage will see Alberto wearing the Maillot Jaune of the race leader. The 186km route will see the race cross four fourth category climbs earlier on in the day, before a flat run for the last 50km. This is unlikely to be a stage the GC riders will contest, however, and so the aim will be to keep Alberto safe.
De Jongh was pleased to see some time gaps early on, but there’s a lot of the race to come. “Ahead of tomorrow there are already some gaps in the GC but the most important thing is to come out better as the race goes on. Of course the GC is important, but not at any price. Tomorrow’s stage suits the sprinters so we’ll see what happens there.â€
While already ahead in the GC race, the Tinkoff leader was sticking to his plan of building for the Tour de France. “My goal here is to keep building my form for the Tour de France. It will be a long week and the squad and myself will stick to our goal of fine-tuning for the Tour. Aiming at the GC here will be a big wear for us, so we will let other teams take that responsibility.”
Stage Result
1. Alberto Contador (SPA) Tinkoff 00:11:36
2. Richie Porte (AUS) BMC Racing Team +00:00:06
3. Chris Froome (GBR) Team Sky +00:00:13
4. Dan Martin (IRE) Etixx-Quick Step +00:00:21
5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Etixx-Quick Step +00:00:24
Others
8th Adam Yates,
19th Steve Cummings
86th Luke Rowe
150th Ian Stannard
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Result: Beverley Town Centre Races
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- Crit Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits 11
- Crit Result: RCR FatCreations Goodwood Summer Special
- UK Armed Forces Inter-services Road Race
- Report: TLI Cycling ‘Belgium Training Series
- BMCR RESULT: The Ron Day MK Bowl Circuit races (July 23rd)
- RR Result: Bath RC Junior National Series Road Race
- Crit Result: West Thames League 15
- Crit Result: SACA Salt Ayre Tuesday Series 15
- Crit Result: Bath CC Mid Summer Series 2
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #17
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Kernow Racing Team 10m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- Youth Result: RL360 Isle of Man Youth League 14
- TT Result: Verulam Cycling Club 25m TT
- TT Result: Manchester & District Ladies CA 25m TT
- TT Result: Ferryhill Wheelers CC 25m TT
- Crit Result: Banbury Star Crit Series #2
- RR Result: Lakes Road Club Summer Road Race
- National Circuit Series: Colne
- TT Result: Kings Lynn CC 15m TT
- TT Result: ECCA 10 mile Time Trial
- TT Result: Chorley Cycling Club 10m TT
- TT Result: Houghton CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 10m TT
- TT Result: Farnham RC 10m TT
- Crit Result: King&Queen of the Bowl Series #13
- TT Result: Kernow Racing Team 10m TT
- Crit Result: Lichfield/Velospeed No Frills at Curborough #7
- TT Result: Swindon RC & Swindon Wh 50m TT
- Crit News: Spatzwear Friday Night Crit Series #6 | YBC
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024
- Crit Result: Thanks Crit it’s Friday 7
- Crit Result: Omega Portsmouth Circuits 6
- Result: BMCR National Road Bike TT Championship
- Crit Result: Ride Revolution Coaching Summer Crits #2
- Crit Result: Shutt Velo Rapide Hitters Crits Rd2
Other News on VeloUK
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024
- Ribble Redefines Road with launch of Allroad
- BMCR: National Road Bike Time Trial Championship
- SUNDAY: Bath Road Club Junior National Series Road Race
- TLI CYCLING FEATURE: SUPER4SERIES
- NATIONAL CIRCUIT SERIES UPDATE 2024
- News: Josh Tarling Extends Contract at Ineos
- Tour of Britain for Men 2024
- News: Connor Swift Extends Contract with Ineos
- Updated GB Olympic Team News
- Sunday: 2024 Youth Circuit Race Championships (Cyclopark)
- ROBBED BY THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY – National Highways
- Startlist: BMCR National Road Championships E/F/G/H
- OLYMPIC NEWS – Team GB Announces First Riders for Olympics
- News: Alex Richardson Retires
- New Releases from Shutt Velo Rapide
- STARTLIST: Men’s British Road Race Championships
- STARTLIST: 2024 Women’s British Road Race Championships
- Startlist: 2024 CAMS Yorkshire Classic Road Races
- Startlists: 2024 Circuit Race Championships
- Startlist: CAMS Ronde van Wymeswold
- Startlists & 2023 Results: National Time Trial Championships
- NEWS: Star Studded Line Up for National Road Champs
- Riders so far: London Dynamo Summer Road Races
- Women’s Tour of Britain Startlist (provisional)
- News: Lincoln winner hit by car
- Entries Wanted: Ilkley Cycles Races
- GB Team Named for Women’s Tour of Britain
- STARTLISTS: NW, Yorkshire & NE Regional RR Championships
- Startlists: East Midlands Road Race Championships
- News: Ribble Rebellion Race USA’s Armed Forces Cycling Classic
- TT Result: Legato Racing Team 10m TT
- Pre-Race Rider Quotes: Ford RideLondon Classique
- STARTLIST: Witham Wheelers Road Races
- Team News: Tour of Britain for Alba Development RT
- Startlist: Totnes Vire 2024
- Starters: NW Junior/U23 360cycling Two Day