Van den Broeck Wins Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 1

Last updated : 06 June 2011 By Kev Monks

Jurgen  Van den Broeck won Stage one of the Critérium du Dauphiné this afternoon.

The peloton travelled 144km from Albertville to Sail Pierre de Chartreuse today and the stage saw Rabbobank doing most of the work after the three escapees in Sven Vandousselaere (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Leonardo Duque (Cofidis) and Vincent Jérôme (Europcar) got away.

The riders went over the climbs at Côte de Saint-André, Côte de Montagnole and Côte de la Bauche and made their way to the final climb at the finish on Montée de Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse.

Just before the climb, the escapees shook hands and their day at the front was over.

With just over 3kms to go,  Van den Broeck took over at the front.

The Omega Pharma Lotto rider started the day fourteen seconds behind leader Lars Boom and shot away to win his first ever stage in 3hr, 36 mins 42 seconds with Rodriquez second,Cadel Evans in third and Ireland's Nicholas Roche in fifth.

Leader Lars Boom came in 2.29 back and Alexander Vinokourov now leads the race by five seconds from  Van den Broeck. Bradley Wiggins is fourth..