Chris Froome has won the 66th Critérium du Dauphiné.opening stage.
The first stage which attracted a strong field, many of whom were using the race as preparation for the Tour De France including 2013 winner Chris Froome of Team Sky, was an individual time trial in Lyon which was 10.4kms long.featuring a 'Tube' tunnel and had Bartosz Huzarksi (NettApp-Endura) first down the ramp.
His time to beat of 13.43 did not last long as Belkin's Wilco Kelderman soon finished in 13.24.
On a stage which featured a medium climb and some high speed descents, Bob Jungels (Trek Factory Racing) set the new fastest time of 13:22.
Geraint Thomas of Team Sky went through the first time check fastest but lost time in the second sector and finished five seconds down on the time of Jungels who admitted that he had not made any mistakes. Thomas later tweeted about his ride: "Rode TT like my junior days. Start fast finish slow. Forgot what Paul Manning used to say to me 'don't go looking for the pain, it'll come'."
Jungels was still ahead after one hundred riders out of the 168 had finished.
Garmin-Sharp's David Millar, in his last Critérium du Dauphiné, finished in 13.55 on a day where temperatures were at thirty one degrees.
Riders failed to get near Jungels time and attention was turning to the battle that will ensue this week between Vincenzo Nibali, Alberto Contador, who has had six wins this season and Chris Froome, who was testing out a new Pinarello Dogma F8 bike which was designed by Jaguar Engineers in Coventry.
Andrew Talansky of Omega Pharam Quick Step came in 1.6 seconds down on Jungels time as Contador went down the ramp, followed by Froome in a black skin suit.
Nibali was fastest at 5.58 after 4.6kms with Froome (pictured below) two seconds down and Contador three seconds back.
Contador was first to finish and finished in 13.21.49. Nibali finished in 13.25 and in came Chris Froome who finished in 13.13 to win the stage by eight seconds from Contador.
Stage Result
1 Chris Froome Team Sky 13-13
2 Contador +8
3 Jungels +9
4 Talansky +11
5 Kelderman +11
6 Boom +12
7 Kiryienka +12
8 Nibali +13
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service