2018 Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 5 Results & Recap
Stage 5 of the 2018 Critérium du Dauphiné is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Martin wins on Valmorel
After an attack on the slopes of Valmorel, Dan Martin (UAE Emirates) charged to victory on stage 5 of the Criterium du Dauphine. Only Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) was able to match the Irishman’s tempo, finishing second on the day. Adam Yates (Michelton Scott) took third.
“It’s been a difficult start of the season for myself and the team, but it’s just fantastic that it worked out today,” Martin said about his win. “Personally, since I won a stage at the Tour de France [in 2013], I’ve probably second and third about ten times, so it’s great to win here just before the Tour, because that’s my goal. I surprised myself today though. I didn’t expect to be that strong. In the finale, I hesitated a bit but I knew that my GC position enabled me to attack. I was at the limit. I waited for the other guys to slow down a little bit and I accelerated. Then I gave everything. I’ve been scared to lose towards the end but to see the last curve has been a big relief.”
Thomas’ big effort put him into the yellow-blue jersey a comfortable 1:09 ahead of Damiano Caruso (BMC Racing). Thomas’ teammate Gianni Moscon had a tough day staying in contention on the 12.7 kilometre climb, and slipped down to third overall, same time as Caruso. However, the Italian is still leading the best young rider competition.
“Obviously the boys rode really well,” Thomas said to reporters after the stage. “At the start, we controlled that nicely. And Bora wanted to ride, so it was good for us. In the final climb, we had everything under control. [Adam] Yatesy and Orica [Mitchelton-Scott] put the hammer down a bit. It was hard going but we stuck well together. Tao [Geoghegan Hart] rode exceptionally well. Then the last k, I just wanted to try and close the gap as much as possible. I stayed quite steady on that last corner. I didn’t want to repeat the prologue. It’s been a really good day! These four days in the mountains are the hardest four days I would have raced I think in a one-week stage race. It’s a super hard climbing stage race, even harder on the weekend now. I’ll enjoy tomorrow, or I’ll try to enjoy it in the jersey and defend it but it’s super hard. It’s a big test. Anything can happen. So far so good.”
After a brutal uphill start, a break of nine riders established itself off the front: Dario Cataldo (Astana), Edward Ravasi (UAE Team Emirates), Alexis Gougeard (AG2R-La Mondiale), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Laurens De Plus (Quick Step), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Matteo Fabbro (Katusha-Alpecin) and Carlos Verona (Mitchelton-Scott).
With Bora-Hansgrohe and Team Sky keeping control of the peloton, the breakaway was never allowed much time up the road and was eventually caught on the lower slopes of the last climb to Valmorel. Edet was the final rider to be reabsorbed before the GC riders start to play.
Marc Soler (Movistar) was the first name to make a move, however it was the counterattack from Martin that decimated what was left of the remaining group with no one able to stay on his wheel.
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