Critérium du Dauphiné (prologue)
Younger of Spanish brothers from Movistar Team starts Critérium du Dauphiné into best ten overall. Alberto Contador (TNK) claims victory in grueling Les Gets prologue
Jesús Herrada, one of the Movistar Team's 12 riders shortlisted for the Tour de France, surprised in Sunday's opening mountain TT of the Criterium du Dauphiné (4km at 9.7% average gradients, from Les Gets to the top of the Mont Chéry) to place in 10th overall, with Alberto Contador (TNK) in the lead.
Rain did not show up as abundantly as forecast, as Chris Froome (SKY) -3rd, 13" from Contador and 7” to Richie Porte (BMC), 2nd- took the start way earlier than the other GC contenders. The prologue started to set things straight in the GC, with Marc Soler (37th) also sitting in a decent place after finishing with the same time from Fabio Aru (AST), 1’09” behind Contador.
Monday's racing will be one for the sprinters as the 186km route from Cluses to Saint-Vulbas preceeds the first mid-mountain stage on Tuesday, the Cat-3 finish in Chalmazel – Jeansagnière, where the squad directed by José Luis Arrieta and José Luis Laguía hopes to shine on in their approach to the Tour de France, weeks before Nairo Quintana resumes racing.