The Dauphine kicked off with a lung-busting, switchback-tastic, 4km mountain prologue. It was brutal. It was made for the explosive climber – and by heck it made for compelling viewing!

Prologue, Les Gets to Les Gets, 4km

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) danced his way up the dizzying ramps of the Montée de Mont Chéry some 6secs faster than BMC’s scampering Richie Porte. Defending champ Chris Froome (Sky) rounded out the podium at +13secs. The stage has certainly put the cat among the GC pigeons with the likes of Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) at +52secs, and Astana’s Fabio Aru already more than a minute back. Yikee doodles, there’s some attacking to be done in the coming stages we think!

Highlights…

Was it good prologue? TT Tony wasn’t enamoured. Big Tom and many of us would beg to differ…

Many found salvation through humour. Nice one Marcus…

While Julian Alaphilippe was not only funniest, but also fastest Frenchman and best young rider…

Links: Official site for the Criterium du Dauphine , Twitter

Featured Image: Richie Porte  ©LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images