Aussie continues to impress0:47
Cycling: Richie Porte continues to impress ahead of next month’s Tour de France.
Australia’s Richie Porte, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, rides during the 115km eighth stage of the 69th edition of the Criterium du Dauphine cycling race on June 11, 2017 between Albertville and the Plateau de Solaison in Brison, French Alps. / AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPE LOPEZ
JAKOB Fuglsang stunned the pre-race favourites to win the Criterium du Dauphine, leapfrogging Australia’s Richie Porte on a thrilling final stage as Tour de France champion Chris Froome appeared short of form.
Astana rider Fuglsang, 32, attacked on the final climb to the Plateau de Solaison (11.3km at 9.2 per cent) and held off Porte to win the 115-kilometre stage from Albertville and beat the Australian by 10 seconds in the overall classification.
“It’s incredible. The plan was to keep our position on GC (general classification) but with (teammate) Fabio (Aru) we attacked one after another and it went our way,” Fuglsang said.
Fuglsang dropped Ireland’s Dan Martin (Quick Step Floors) on the last climb and never looked back.
Porte, who had lost ground on the penultimate ascent, clawed his way back, but he came up just short, leaving Fuglsang to celebrate his biggest victory.
Froome, who was the defending champion, dropped Porte on the penultimate climb but struggled on the final one and saw his former Team Sky teammate ride away. Three-time Tour champion Froome finished fourth overall, 1:33 off the pace and one second behind Martin.
Last year’s Tour runner-up Romain Bardet of France ended up sixth, showing good form on the climbs after a disappointing time trial earlier this week. Spain’s Alberto Contador, a twice Tour champion, cracked on the final ascent and finished 11th overall.
The Tour de France starts on July 1 from Dusseldorf, Germany.
Originally published as Victory snatched from Porte on final stage
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