Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 1: Alaphilippe Contests the Field Sprint

Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 1: Alaphilippe Contests the Field Sprint

Etixx - Quick-Step rider Julian Alaphilippe finished 15th in the 132km Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 1 on Sunday, as Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky) held off the peloton by attacking a late race escape group to win solo.

Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida) was 2nd, and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team MTN - Qhubeka) finished 3rd out of the field sprint behind.

Kennaugh attacked a six-rider breakaway with 2.4km to go, and the gap down to just 7 seconds. The breakaway was a combination of Bjorn Thurau (Bora-Argon 18), who was part of the original four-rider escape group, Daniel Oss (BMC Racing Team), who went over the top of an accelerating Tony Martin to try and bridge to Thurau solo, and a four-rider chase group. Those riders all came together with 4km remaining, and the gap at 14 seconds.

Martin attacked with less than 13km to go, as the peloton was getting over the top of Cote du Villard (1.2km, 8.7%).

The peloton crossed just two seconds behind Kennaugh, with Alaphilippe near the front.

Etixx - Quick-Step looks next to 173km Stage 2 on Monday, from Le Bourget-du-Lac to Parc des Oiseaux Villars-les-Dombes. The stage is considered medium mountain, but the categorized climbs are early in the stage, with the remaining profile being mostly flat.