Team Sky's Chris Froome took the victory on stage seven of the 67th Critérium du Dauphiné but it was not enough to take over the race lead.
Yet, another day in the mountains with five category one climbs and this time, it was Mont Blanc that was to be ascended as part of the 155km stage from from Montmélian to Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc.
Race leader Vincenzo Nibali allowed fourteen riders in Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin), Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-La Mondiale), Pim Ligthart (Lotto-Soudal), Gorka Izagirre (Movistar), Tiago Machado (Katusha), Pieter Serry (Etixx-Quick Step), Riccardo Zoidl (Trek), Chris Anker Sørensen (Tinkoff-Saxo), Jarlinson Pantano (IAM Cycling), Perrig Quémeneur (Europcar), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Kenny Elissonde (FDJ), Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka) and Björn Thurau (Bora-Argon 18) to form a break which was 1.35 ahead as they took on the Col de Tamié, a climb of 8.5kms with average gradients of 6.4%.
Perrig Quémeneur and Jarlinson Pantano dropped out of the break and were soon caught by the peloton which was split by an attack from thirteen riders which included Pierre Rolland of Europcar, Bauke Mollema (Trek), Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar), David De La Cruz (Etixx-QuickStep), Pawel Poljanski (Tinkoff-Saxo), Dani Navarro & Luis Maté (Cofidis), Marcel Wyss (IAM), Ruben Plaza (Lampre-Merida), Bartosz Huzarski, Dominic Nerz and José Mendes (Bora-Argon 18) before splitting once more and Poljanski, Rolland, Navarro and Meintjes joining up to the leaders.
Lotto Soudal's Tim Wellens abandoned as the gap went out to 4.15 with the escapers heading for the Col de la Croix Fry climb.
More riders joined the front group on that climb with Jonathan Castroviejo, Gorka Izagirre (Movistar), Chris Anker Sørensen (Tinkoff-Saxo), Louis Meintjes (MTN-Qhubeka), Pierre Rolland (Europcar), Alexis Vuillermoz (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Pawel Poljanski, Chris Anker Sørensen (Tinkoff-Saxo), Marcel Wyss, Jarlinson Pantano (IAM Cycling), Tiago Machado (Katusha), Björn Thurau, Bartoz Huzarski, Dominik Nerz (Bora-Argon 18), David De La Cruz, Pieter Serry (Etixx-QuickStep), Bauke Mollema, Ricardo Zoidl (Trek Factory Racing), Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin), Kenny Elissonde (FDJ), Nicolas Edet, Daniel Navarro, Luis Angel Maté (Cofidis), Louis Meintjes, Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka) and Pim Ligthart (Lotto Soudal), now having a lead of 1.15 whilst further down the road, British riders Adam and Simon Yates were struggling.
Going into the final forty kilometres of the stage and the gap to the escapers was down to 1.22 with Chris Froome and Team Sky trying to bring the front group which now numbered fifteen back on a gloriously sunny day.
Dani Navarro and Ricardo Zoidl (Trek) went away as the lead back to the yellow jersey group went out to 3.02 with 25.2kms left.
Pierre Roland brought up a group but a massive turn from Peter Kennaugh brought up Chris Froome who attacked and got into the lead with Tejay Van Garderen in his wheel.
With 1.5kms left, Chris Froome, looking for his first stage win in this race, kicked and away he went.
Froome needed thirty five seconds to take the yellow jersey but Tejay Van Garderen was fighting back.
Froome continued and won in 4.24.17 but seventeeen seconds up came Tejay Van Garderen to take the yellow jersey. MTN Qhubeka's Louis Meintjes was third, forty seconds back with Benat Intxausti fourth,followed by Rodriguez, Bardet, Vuillermo, Talansky, Costa, Navarro and SImon Yates.
Van Garderen now leads the race by eighteen seconds from Froome going into the final stage.