Critérium du Dauphiné 2017: De Gendt solos to victory and leader's jersey

The Critérium du Dauphiné opens with a hilly stage from Saint Étienne back to Saint Étienne. Thomas De Gendt is the best rider in the early break and he soloes to victory. The Flemish powerhouse is the first overall leader. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 1st stage 2017 Critérium du Dauphiné

1. Thomas De Gendt (bel)
2. Axel Domont (fra) + 0.44
3. Diego Ulissi (ita) + 0.57
4. Pierre Latour (fra) s.t.
5. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) s.t.
6. Sonny Colbrelli (ita) + 0.59
7. Julien Simon (fra) s.t.
8. Alejandro Valverde (spa) s.t.
9. Ben Swift (gbr) s.t.
10. Michael Valgren (den) s.t.

GC after the 1st stage
1. Thomas De Gendt (bel)
2. Axel Domont (fra) + 0.48
3. Diego Ulissi (ita) + 1.03
4. Pierre Latour (fra) s.t.
5. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) s.t.
6. Sonny Colbrelli (ita) + 1.09
7. Julien Simon (fra) s.t.
8. Alejandro Valverde (spa) s.t.
9. Ben Swift (gbr) s.t.
10. Michael Valgren (den) s.t.

15. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
21. Daniel Martin (irl) s.t.
22. Andrew Talansky (usa) s.t.
24. Fabio Aru (ita) s.t.
25. Richie Porte (aus) s.t.
29. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
37. Esteban Chaves (col) s.t.
39. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
44. Simon Yates (gbr) s.t.
48. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) s.t.
102. Warren Barguil (fra) + 8.07

Race report
Despite a lot of attacks on Col du Pilon the pack is still bunched at the top. Thomas De Gendt is the first to crest ahead of Pierre Latour.

In the descent De Gendt pushes on with Axel Domont, Antonio Nibali, Romain Sicard, Silvio Herklotz, Delio Fernandez en Angel Madrazo. On both Côte de la Roche and Côte de Périgneux the Flemish rider takes the KOM bonus. Meanwhile the gap of the seven widens to a maximum width of more than 6 minutes.

Atop Côte de Saint-Romain-les-Atheux De Gendt pockets 5 more KOM points, while he is first to crest Côte de Tarentaise and Rochetaillée for the first time, too. While climbing the Rochetaillée for the second time De Gendt and Domont break clear and once again De Gendt takes the KOM bonus.

With 1 round - of 14.9 kilometres - left the peloton is 2'25" in arrears. The chase group are more than half a minute down on the two leaders.

De Gendt heads out on his own on the Rochetaillée and atop he is 1'20" ahead of the peloton. In the last 6.5 kms his victory is not endangered. Another show of strength of the Flemish attacker.