A late attack by Dan Martin decimated with was left of the main field on the uphill finish at Critérium du Dauphiné. He looked back to his very best, though was pipped for the stage win.
Dan Martin attacks Criterium du Dauphiné stage 4
Fears Dan Martin’s season was in danger of losing its way were assuaged at Critérium du Dauphiné today.
On the first uphill finish of the race, a searing attack by the Irishman decimated what was left of the main field.
And while Julian Alaphilippe (QuickStep) came around him at the death to win, Martin took 2nd place.
Indeed, when the UAE Team Emirates man attacked hard with about 550 metres remaining, only three other men could go with him.
Alaphilippe was one, along with Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale).
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Martin went for broke and didn’t look back even once all the way to the line, as the field splintered in his wake.
And though the three men he finished with sat on him every inch of the way, Martin’s effort was so strong that Thomas and Bardet didn’t even make an effort to finish ahead of him on the line.
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The sight of Dan Martin attacking in the final section of a stage like today’s was a welcome one for Irish cycling fans.
He has endured a very quiet season to date. And when his team finished 20th of the 22 teams in the TTT in France yesterday, it was a case of bad to worse for Martin.
However, after that team test he said he himself had felt good during it. And today’s stage very much confirmed that.
The cat 2 climb to the finish at Lans-en-Vercors after 181km was the first time this season Martin has grabbed a race by the scruff of the neck and put everyone else to the sword.
One of the casualties of Martin’s aggression today was race leader Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky). The yellow-jerseyed Pole was already struggling and instantly went south from the depleted peloton when Martin pulled the trigger.
And he would come home in 19th place at 17 seconds. That meant the race lead changed hands; Team Sky’s Gianni Moscon seeing it move to his shoulders.
The young Italian was one of those left grovelling by Dan Martin today. But he kept his shape to take 9th on the stage some eight seconds back.
And that was enough to put move him to the top of the general classification. He now leads by six seconds from both Kwiatkowski and Thomas who are equal on time in 2nd and 3rd.
Today’s ride saw Martin jump from 45th to 20th overall, though he is still 2:40 down.
However, if he can string a number of strong riders together over the next three days on the climbs, his indifferent season to date will be very much back on track.
A breakaway of eight men would forge clear today, including Dario Cataldo (Astana), Lukas Postlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jens Keukeleire (Lotto Soudal) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data).
Also in the break, by joining it later, were Odd Christian Eiking (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Arnaud Courteille (Vital Concept), Simon Clarke (EF-Drapac) and Bryan Coquard (Vital Concept).
And while Cataldo would doggedly remain out front until Dan Martin let rip deep inside the final kilometre, he would fade to 12th on the stage.
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