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60th Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré - ProT
France, June 8-15, 2008
Main Page Results & report Stage Details Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 4 - June 12: Vienne - Annemasse, 193km
Complete live report
Live coverage starts: 15:30 CEST
Estimated finish: 16:30 CEST
15:29 CEST
Welcome to our live coverage of the Dauphiné! Valverde is in the leader's yellow jersey following yesterday's win in the time trial. His team Caisse d'Epargne is watching over a 16 man move that has gone free.
15:31 CEST 158km/35km to go
We have been enjoying ourselves here in the French countryside, it is a lovely sunny day – different than yesterday's wet time trial.
We will get you the name of those riders in the escape. We do know they have 3'50" with 35 kilometres remaining.
15:32 CEST
David De La Fuente (Saunier Duval-Scott) led the escape over the fourth category côte de St-Jean.
15:36 CEST 161km/32km to go
Here are our escapees: Roy Sentjens (Silence-Lotto), Sergio Paulinho (Astana), Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne), Juan José Oroz (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Christophe Le Mevel and Pierre Rolland (Crédit Agricole), Juan Manuel Gárate (Quick Step), Cyril Dessel (AG2R La Mondiale), Amaël Moinard (Cofidis), Heinrich Haussler and Peter Wrolich (Gerolsteiner), Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom), Frederik Willems (Liquigas), Lars Bak (Team CSC), David De La Fuente (Saunier Duval-Scott), Roels (Milram).
Pereiro and Voeckler are famous escapees in Tour de France history.
15:37 CEST
Julien Loubet (AG2R La Mondiale) takes a spill going through a roundabout. He is back up with only a wounded pride.
15:40 CEST 163km/30km to go
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) and Pierre Rolland (Crédit Agricole) have made a move of their own heading to the big climb of the day, the la Montée du Mont-Salève at 175.5km. It is a 7.5 kilometre climb at 8.7% average.
The duo has about 20" on the other escapees.
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15:42 CEST
Several people has asked why Chris Horner (Astana) DNS before yesterday's TT. The team reports "Chris Horner was unable to start ... as he currently suffers with some back problems."
Caisse is leading the chase in its black and red tops. Valverde, with the yellow leader's top, is tucked in fifth wheel.
15:44 CEST
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) is feeling the heat and has his racing top unzipped. The duo passes the seven kilometres to go marker – that is seven kilometres to the summit of the climb.
15:50 CEST
Pierre Rolland (Crédit Agricole) has dropped Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom), who is bobbing his way up the la Montée du Mont-Salève. He does not look smooth at all. The peloton has started the climb.
15:50 CEST
Valverde has four of his men on the front.
15:53 CEST 170km/23km to go
You can feel the tension rising. Levi Leipheimer (Astana) is looking green. He is in the green points leader's top, which belongs to Valverde.
15:53 CEST
Pierre Rolland (Crédit Agricole) has 45" on Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) and 3'25" on the peloton.
15:55 CEST
The peloton is being shattered under the power of Caisse, who have two men still protecting Valverde. Don't forget that the team also has 2006 Tour winner, Pereiro, up in the escape.
15:56 CEST
Evens is there too, he has his usual game face on.
A Caisse rider pulls off, leaving on last man to protect Valverde.
15:57 CEST 172km/21km to go
At 21 kilometres to go, the gap is 3'26" to Rolland.
16:00 CEST 173km/20km to go
After the top, there is a fast descent and then a sharp rise to Annemasse for the finish.
16:01 CEST 174km/19km to go
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) appears to be there, on Levi Leipheimer's (Astana) wheel.
Rolland has 3'33".
16:01 CEST
Charles Wegelius (Liquigas) is in the front of the peloton as well.
16:04 CEST
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) is caught by the peloton, while Rolland nears the top of the climb. Here we can look down and see Lake Geneva.
16:07 CEST 174km/19km to go
A small group of eight, with Valverde, heads to the top of the pass. Robert Gesink (Rabobank) leads, with Levi Leipheimer (Astana), Valverde, Evans, Charles Wegelius (Liquigas)...
Rolland still has one kilometre to climb! He is keeping 2'48" on the chase.
16:12 CEST
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) was caught, but there are other escapees still in the mix. Rolland has 50" to Cyril Dessel (AG2R La Mondiale), Amaël Moinard (Cofidis), Sergio Paulinho (Astana) and 1'15" to David De La Fuente (Saunier Duval-Scott), 1'20" to Lars Bak (Team CSC) and 1'30" to Juan Manuel Gárate (Quick Step). Cyril Dessel (AG2R La Mondiale) could take the jersey if he keeps his advantage on Valverde.
16:16 CEST
Cyril Dessel (AG2R La Mondiale) has caught and passed Pierre Rolland (Crédit Agricole) and now leads on the forested descent. The Frenchman has 2'29" on the peloton.
16:17 CEST 183km/10km to go
He now has 2'34" on the peloton. He is cooking it down this road; only a few slip-ups for the rider who had the yellow jersey in the 2006 Tour de France.
16:20 CEST 187km/6km to go
He has 2'35" on the peloton but only 20" on Pierre Rolland (Crédit Agricole), who is slightly larger and may catch Dessel on the flats.
16:22 CEST
He has less than five km to go. He is hammering a large gear through the tiny roads that are fan-packed.
His mouth is open and he is breathing hard. Go Dessel!
16:23 CEST
The organiser has announced that the most aggressive rider for the day is Pierre Rolland (Crédit Agricole). Rolland would be really aggressive if he captures Dessel.
The AG2R team car pulls up to Dessel's right and, after the talk, he seems to be slowing.
16:24 CEST 190km/3km to go
Cioni is leading Lotto team-mate Evans in the chase.
16:26 CEST
Dessel crosses the river and, despite some slowing, the 33 year-old looks like he is going to get the win.
16:26 CEST 192km/1km to go
Michael Rogers (High Road) hits the front of the GC chase.
16:27 CEST
Cyril Dessel (AG2R La Mondiale) gets the win after 4:37 of racing. Pierre Rolland (Crédit Agricole) comes home for an aggressive second.
16:28 CEST
The group goes under the red triangle, one kilometre to go.
16:28 CEST
Amaël Moinard (Cofidis) leads Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) home for third place.
16:35 CEST
A great win by Dessel, adding to his second win of the year, adding to a stage in the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and 4 Jours de Dunkerque.
16:36 CEST
Thanks for joining us. Please come back tomorrow for more live coverage.
Results
Provisional 1 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 2 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Crédit Agricole 3 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis 4 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne General classification after stage 4 1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 3 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto
