Critérium du Dauphiné 2014: Stage 2 - Froome beats Contador on the line

Stage 2 leads the riders straight into the mountains. In the ride from Tarare to Col du Béal they face 6 cols and finish atop of the last one after a horse catégory climb. Froome is as strong as yesterday and beats Contador. The Spaniard is the only one to follow him, Nibali is nowhere to be seen. Young Dutchman Wilco Kelderman suprises and takes 3rd in the GC and the white jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Critérium du Dauphiné 2014: Results 2nd stage

1. Chris Froome (gbr)
2. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
3. Wilco Kelderman (Nld) + 0.04
4. Jürgen Van den Broeck (bel) + 0.10
5. Andrew Talansky (USA) + 0.12
6. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 0.27
7. Igor Anton (spa) + 0.40
8. Adam Yates (gbr) + 0.42
9. Sebastien Reichenbach (aus) + 0.44
10. Daniel Navarro (spa) + 0.45

GC after 2nd stage
1. Chris Froome (gbr)
2. Alberto Contador (spa) + 0.10
3. Wilco Kelderman (Nld) + 0.21
4. Andrew Talansky (USA) + 0.33
5. Jürgen Van den Broeck (bel) + 0.35
6. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 0.50
7. Haimar Zubeldia (spa) + 1.22
8. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 1.22
9. Adam Yates(gbr) + 1.31
10. Tanel Kangert (est) + 1.35

Report
Kévin Reza was the first to crest the first 5 cols today. The French rider was part of the breakaway with Alexis Gougeard, Mathias Brandle, Alessandro De Marchi and Thomas Damuseau. Their maximun advantage was around 5 minutes withSky controlling things in the bunch.
On the lower slopes of the Col du Béal closing climb only Alessandro De Marchi managed to stay upfront. However, with 7.7 kilometres remaining, Sky had reeled him in. Big names like Dani Moreno and Ryder Hesjedal were already dropped at this point.

Froome was clearly in charge with Contador reacting to his moves only. At 3 kilometres to go Froome, Contador, Kelderman and Van den Broeck were in the lead. Talansky and Nibali caught up shortly after.

In the final kilometre Froome put in numerous attacks with only Contador able to follow. The Spaniard couldn’t come around the Kenyan however with Froome taking his 2nd stage win in a row.

The 23-year old Dutchman Kelderman finished third, taking the white jersey. Vincenzo Nibali has got some work to do before the Grand Départ in Leeds next month but not as much as Tejay van Garderen who finished a long way back.