Dan Martin Critérium du Dauphiné comeback: He has shot up the standings and with Team Sky having such a hard stage today Dan Martin could well launch a raid for yellow tomorrow.

Dan Martin shoots up Dauphiné general classification

Having crashed down the general standings after his team lost time in the TTT on stage 3, Dan Martin is now right back in contention at Critérium du Dauphiné.

He is in with a very good chance of making the final podium for the third time this year. And if Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) were to fade on tomorrow’s final stage, Martin could swoop in to win.

Either way, the Irish rider has completely turned his season around over the last three days.

He claimed 2^nd on the first climbing stage on Thursday, before winning yesterday’s stage with a brilliant attack.

And on today’s penultimate leg – 110km from Frontenex to La Rosière Espace San Bernardo – Martin was 3^rd after racing across four major climbs.

The three men Dan Martin has in his sights; Thomas, Yates and Bardet.

Bilbao takes a lone victory for Astana.

Thomas attacks late to gain some vital seconds.

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The stage was won by Pello Bilbao (Astana) by 21 seconds from yellow jersey Thomas. Martin (UAE Team Emirates) was a further two seconds back.

He finished just ahead, and on the same time as, Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale). Adam Yates (Mitchelton Scott) was 5^th, some three seconds down on Dan Martin.

The Irish rider had already moved up the general classification yesterday; from 20^th to 14^th.

And with field splitting to pieces today and Martin proving one of the very strongest, he is now up to 4^th overall.

Thomas is still 2:30 ahead of Dan Martin. But he is not beyond imploding on the final day in the hills.

Yates is 2^nd overall some 1:29 behind the race leader and 1:01 ahead of Martin. In third place is Bardet; some 2:01 off the leader and 29 seconds ahead of the Irishman.

With three very strong riders ahead of him overall, it will take a very good ride to leapfrog over any of them.

And taking the yellow jersey would be very difficult indeed. However, Martin looks in mint physical condition.

Just as important, he seems to have his swagger back. And as we have seen from him down the years he is capable of rearranging the top four tomorrow if things went his way.

Last year on this race he went on the attack on the final stage; taking 2^nd and moving from 8^th overall to 3^rd place, dislodging Chris Froome (Team Sky) in the process.

And two years ago he was in 4^th going into the last stage; taking 2^nd on the day and claiming 3^rd overall after pushing out Richie Porte.

Martin spoke at the time of being pleased to achieve the best ever general classification result at Critérium du Dauphiné for an Irish rider.

Few would be against him making the final podium with another storming rider tomorrow.

And while the odds are much longer on him claiming the yellow jersey; he looks back to his best mentally and physically. In that condition, anything is possible.