Another day into the fight
08 June 2013

Critérium du Dauphiné (st. 7)

Valverde back within the best ten overall in Dauphiné (8th), offensive in the finale after help from Herrada. Teruel and Madrazo make it into day's break

Samuel Sánchez (EUS) claimed the day’s honours on stage seven of the 2013 Critérium du Dauphiné, a hard, 187-kilometer trek with five climbs including the mighty L’Alpe d’Huez (HC) plus the Col du Noyer (Cat-1) before the final 4k uphill in Superdévoluy. The Spaniard outsprinted Fuglsang (AST) after a short breakaway that started shortly after the crest of the Noyer climb, inside the ending 10k, with the race’s main favourites unable to respond. Alejandro Valverde featured into that group and improved his overall result after offensive tactics from Movistar Team all day long.

Ángel Madrazo and Eloy Teruel made it into the strong, 22-man early breakaway before the first climb. With Teruel latter dropping at the slopes of L’Alpe d’Huez, Madrazo continued his effort as the escape reached more than four minutes of advantage ahead of an elite group where Sky controlled calmly before the final chain of mountains. An attack by Chavanel (OPQ) and De Marchi (CAN) into Madrazo’s group forced the Spaniard to wait for the bunch, being caught just as José Herrada started his first of two moves to help Valverde on the attack, eventually neutralized.

Alejandro, 6th at the finish, is now in eighth place at the overall classification, with a hard mountain stage still to be covered on Sunday: 155km between Sisteron and Risoul (Cat-1), with the Col de Vars in between.