Critérium du Dauphiné 2016 Stage 2: Herrada jumps to summit victory, Contador still in overall lead

Totalling at 167.5 kilometres, stage 2 in the Critérium du Dauphiné brings a summit finish after a 21.5 kilometres closing climb. It looks the race will be won by the escapees, Gallopin, Huzarski and Jeandesboz, until Jesús Herrada comes thundering past in the last hundred metres. Alberto Contador retains in the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2nd stage Critérium du Dauphiné

1. Jesús Herrada (spa)
2. Tony Gallopin (fra) + 0.02
3. Serge Pauwels (bel) s.t.
4. Fabrice Jeandesboz (fra) s.t.
5. Daniel Moreno (spa) s.t.
6. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
7. Greg Van Avermaet (bel) s.t.
8. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
9. Valerio Conti (ita) s.t.
10. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) s.t.

12. Daniel Martin (irl) s.t.
15. Richie Porte (aus) s.t.
23. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
24. Thibaut Pinot (fra) s.t.

GC after 2nd stage
1. Alberto Contador (spa)
2. Richie Porte (aus) + 0.06
3. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.13
4. Daniel Martin (irl) + 0.21
5. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.24
6. Jesús Herrada (spa) + 0.27
7. Adam Yates (gbr) + 0.31
8. Diego Rosa (ita) + 0.37
9. Daniel Navarro (spa) + 0.43
10. Bauke Mollema (nld) + 0.48

16. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) + 1.02
17. Mikela Landa (spa) + 1.03

Race report
Teklehaimanot jumps clear at the first climb of the day, Col de Durbize, while Lutsenko, Gougeard, Calmejane, Bauer and Huzarski join him. The six race to a 3 minutes lead in no-time, but then Lutsenko can’t follow the pace and he is dropped. The gap goes up to a maximum of 5 minutes.

When Etixx opens the chase the gap goes down to 2 minutes when hitting the lower slopes of the closing climb. Gougeard and Huzarski leave their companions and a little later Gougeard goes solo. In the pack Kwiatkowski jumps clear. He is accompanied by Jeandesboz, Pauwels and Gallopin, but then the former World Champion is dropped. The trio joins Huzarski and they gobble up Gougeard.

When hitting the last uphill section Gougeard is dropped, while the peloton is 40 seconds adrift.

With 3 kms left Jeandesboz, Pauwels and Gallopin are the leaders with Navarro and Henao chasing. It looks one of them is off for glory until Joaquim Rodriguez gives it a go in the final kilometre, with Van Avermaet and Mollema on his wheel. Yet, it is the 25-year old Spaniard Jesus Herrada who makes the decisive jump.