Dutch National Time Trial Champion Stef Clement (Bouygues Telecom) clocked a time of 46:05. Clement was leading the race for a long time after his superb performance but the overall favourites still had to start their race.

 

After 12,2 kilometres the riders arrived at the top of the Côte de Chavanol (3rd category). It was the first point in the race where the race officials clocked the time. Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) was riding a very fast race from the start and clocked best time: 22:53. Clement was still second here, 19 seconds behind 'El Imbatido' ( The Unbeatable). Cadel Evans clocked third best time (23:21) and Saunier Duval's Juan José Cobo clocked fourth best time, Cobo was 32 seconds behind his fellow countryman Valverde. Astana's Levi Leipheimer was fifth at the Côte de Chavanol, 36 seconds behind Valverde.

 

After 19 kilometres the riders passed the second intermediate time point at the top of the Côte de Doizieux (4th category). Valverde was still leading the race, the Spaniard clocked 30:37. Evans clocked the second best time here, but the Australian Silence - Lotto captain lost another 3 seconds on Valverde. Levi Leipheimer was third here, still 36 seconds behind Valverde.  Stef Clement was fourth on the Côte de Doizieux, 37 seconds behind the Caisse d'Epargne's captain who seems to be in very good shape for the Tour. Belgium's Maxime Montfort (Cofidis) clocked 31:32, which was the fifth time here.

 

Valverde won the stage with a time of 44:59:78 (41.349 km/h). Leipheimer passed Evans in the rankink and clocked the second best time. In the final part of the race Leipheimer accelerated and reduced the gap to Valverde to 19 seconds. Cadel Evans does not seem to have any knee problems anymore. Evans clocked third best time, he needed 20 seconds more than stage winner Valverde.

 

Valverde also took over the overall lead. Leipheimer is now second overall, 23 seconds behind the yellow jersey and Cadel Evans is third, 37 seconds behind. Montfort is fourth, 1:17 behind.

 

The race will continue tomorrow with the 193 kilometres long fourth stage. The riders will have to climb the Côte du Mont des Princes (3rd category), the Côte de Saint - Jean (4th category) before they reach the final climb of the day: Le Salève. After they reached the top (175.5 km mark) of this first category climb, riders who were dropped have 17.5 kilometres of descending where they can try to bridge-up again. Its not a stage where you can win the Dauphiné, but you can certainly lose the race on tomorrows fourth stage. Click here to view the map and profile of stage 4.

 

 

 

 

1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                           44.59.78 (41.349 km/h)
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana                                         0.19
3 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto                                      0.20
4 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                              1.00
5 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Cofidis                                         1.01
6 Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom                                  1.05
7 Iouri Trofimov (Rus) Bouygues Telecom                                1.35
8 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Team Milram                                      1.47
9 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                             2.06
10 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                        2.08
11 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                2.08
12 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                              2.10
13 Lars Bak (Den) Team CSC                                             2.11
14 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step                                     2.20
15 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana                                        2.26
16 George Hincapie (USA) High Road                                     2.32
17 Laurent Lefèvre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                              2.34
18 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram                                      2.35
19 Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française des Jeux                           2.36
20 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale                             2.43
21 Dmitry Grabovskiy (Ukr) Quick Step                                  2.45
22 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                                 2.45
23 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux                                2.45
24 Josep Jufré (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                               2.47
25 Dario Cioni (Ita) Silence-Lotto                                        
26 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale                            2.52
27 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                  2.53
28 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                             2.54
29 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank                                       2.58
30 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne                               2.58
31 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                   2.59
32 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana                                        3.01
33 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner                                    3.04
34 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Astana                                         3.05
35 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                3.06
36 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre                                        3.06
37 Joan Horrach (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                 3.06
38 Michael Rogers (Aus) High Road                                      3.08
39 Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Saunier Duval-Scott                         3.08
40 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana                                      3.08
41 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank                                     3.09
42 Cyrille Monnerais (Fra) Française des Jeux                          3.09
43 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                3.09
44 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank                                      3.18
45 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Silence-Lotto                               3.19
46 Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Française des Jeux                              3.20
47 Pierrick Fédrigo (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                             3.20
48 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                               3.24
49 Björn Schröder (Ger) Team Milram                                    3.26
50 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                3.27
51 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Quick Step                                     3.27
52 Matej Mugerli (Slo) Liquigas                                        3.27
53 Manuel Beltrán (Spa) Liquigas                                       3.29
54 Juan Manuel Gárate (Spa) Quick Step                                 3.30
55 Michael Barry (Can) High Road                                       3.31
56 Jurgen Van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step                                3.31
57 Adam Hansen (Aus) High Road                                         3.36
58 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Silence-Lotto                               3.37
59 Bert Grabsch (Ger) High Road                                        3.37
60 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Rabobank                                  3.39
61 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                             3.44
62 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                                  3.45
63 Craig Lewis (USA) High Road                                         3.47
64 Mario Aerts (Bel) Silence-Lotto                                     3.50
65 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC                                        3.52
66 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Crédit Agricole                                 3.53
67 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas                                     3.54
68 William Walker (Aus) Rabobank                                       3.56
69 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC                                       4.00
70 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                 4.00
71 Iñaki Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                4.03
72 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                   4.05
73 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Crédit Agricole                               4.05
74 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                                4.08
75 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas                                       4.11
76 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Silence-Lotto                                   4.12
77 Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                             4.12
78 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Team Milram                                   4.13
79 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas                                 4.13
80 Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis                                           4.20
81 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre                                          4.23
82 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis                                         4.23
83 Dominik Roels (Ger) Team Milram                                     4.27
84 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner                                    4.29
85 Florent Brard (Fra) Cofidis                                         4.31
86 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre                                     4.31
87 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Crédit Agricole                           4.32
88 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas                                     4.33
89 José Vicente Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          4.36
90 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Team CSC                                         4.38
91 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis                                      4.39
92 Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                                4.42
93 Rubén Lobato (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                              4.44
94 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                              4.47
95 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team CSC                                    4.53
96 Juan José Oroz (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                              4.54
97 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Gerolsteiner                                  4.55
98 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole                                  4.56
99 Jérôme Coppel (Fra) Française des Jeux                              4.58
100 Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                                4.59
101 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Française des Jeux                           5.01
102 Benjamin Noval (Spa) Astana                                        5.05
103 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Crédit Agricole                              5.05
104 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                            5.06
105 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quick Step                                    5.06
106 Sergio Ghisalberti (Ita) Team Milram                               5.08
107 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Astana                                         5.22
108 Alberto Fernández De La Puebla (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott           5.24
109 Scott Davis (Aus) High Road                                        5.24
110 David Moncoutié (Fra) Cofidis                                      5.25
111 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Lampre                                      5.32
112 Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                5.35
113 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team CSC                                5.37
114 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                           5.40
115 Davide Viganò (Ita) Quick Step                                     5.42
116 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas                                      5.42
117 Alessandro Proni (Ita) Quick Step                                  5.43
118 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas                                    5.49
119 Sebastian Schwager (Ger) Team Milram                               5.50
120 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC                                   5.59
121 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank                                      5.59
122 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre                                      6.07
123 Christian Kux (Ger) Team Milram                                    6.07
124 Bart Dockx (Bel) Silence-Lotto                                     6.08
125 Roy Sentjens (Bel) Silence-Lotto                                   6.09
126 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Française des Jeux                            6.10
127 Volker Ordowski (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                 6.13
128 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                       6.14
129 Roberto Longo (Ita) Lampre                                         6.15
130 Javier Mejías (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                            6.15
131 Michiel Elijzen (Ned) Rabobank                                     6.21
132 Stéphane Augé (Fra) Cofidis                                        6.26
133 Carlo Westphal (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                  6.26
134 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis                                      6.28
135 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          6.33
136 Jon Bru (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                    6.33
137 William Bonnet (Fra) Crédit Agricole                               6.37
138 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC                                       6.48
139 Emanuele Bindi (Ita) Lampre                                        7.19
140 Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française des Jeux                        8.46
141 Beñat Albizuri (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                             9.26
DNS Chris Horner (USA) Astana                                             
DNS André Greipel (Ger) High Road

 

1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                        10.10.19
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana                                         0.23
3 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto                                      0.37
4 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Cofidis                                         1.17
5 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                              1.20
6 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Team Milram                                      2.08
7 Iouri Trofimov (Rus) Bouygues Telecom                                2.10
8 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                         2.28
9 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                               2.30
10 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step                                     2.39
11 George Hincapie (USA) High Road                                     2.44
12 Lars Bak (Den) Team CSC                                             2.47
13 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                2.48
14 Laurent Lefèvre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                              2.59
15 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale                                
16 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram                                      3.00
17 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Astana                                        3.09
18 Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française des Jeux                           3.12
19 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                
20 Dmitry Grabovskiy (Ukr) Quick Step                                  3.14
21 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                                 3.19
22 Dario Cioni (Ita) Silence-Lotto                                     3.21
23 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana                                           
24 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale                            3.23
25 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux                                3.26
26 Michael Rogers (Aus) High Road                                      3.31
27 Josep Jufré (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                               3.39
28 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                     
29 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner                                    3.40
30 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                      
31 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                3.41
32 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank                                      3.44
33 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne                               3.45
34 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana                                      3.49
35 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Astana                                         3.53
36 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank                                     3.54
37 Björn Schröder (Ger) Team Milram                                    3.55
38 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank                                       3.56
39 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre                                        3.57
40 Pierrick Fédrigo (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                             4.01
41 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Rabobank                                     
42 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                               4.03
43 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Silence-Lotto                               4.04
44 Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom                                 4.07
45 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Quick Step                                     4.08
46 Juan Manuel Gárate (Spa) Quick Step                                 4.09
47 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                4.10
48 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC                                        4.13
49 Jurgen Van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step                                4.14
50 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Silence-Lotto                               4.17
51 Craig Lewis (USA) High Road                                         4.21
52 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                4.22
53 William Walker (Aus) Rabobank                                       4.23
54 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                   4.24
55 Manuel Beltrán (Spa) Liquigas                                          
56 Matej Mugerli (Slo) Liquigas                                        4.25
57 Mario Aerts (Bel) Silence-Lotto                                     4.29
58 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                             4.34
59 Iñaki Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                4.35
60 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Crédit Agricole                                 4.36
61 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                                  4.38
62 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                    
63 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas                                     4.41
64 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Team Milram                                   4.45
65 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC                                       4.48
66 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Crédit Agricole                               4.49
67 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole                                  4.55
68 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Silence-Lotto                                   4.56
69 Cyrille Monnerais (Fra) Française des Jeux                          4.57
70 Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis                                           4.59
71 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                                5.00
72 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre                                          5.01
73 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas                                 5.02
74 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                            5.08
75 Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                                   
76 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas                                       5.13
77 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis                                         5.14
78 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner                                       
79 Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Française des Jeux                              5.26
80 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                 
81 Florent Brard (Fra) Cofidis                                         5.32
82 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Crédit Agricole                           5.33
83 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Team CSC                                            
84 Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                                 5.37
85 Jérôme Coppel (Fra) Française des Jeux                                 
86 Juan José Oroz (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                              5.40
87 Adam Hansen (Aus) High Road                                            
88 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas                                     5.53
89 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Crédit Agricole                               5.57
90 Rubén Lobato (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                              5.58
91 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Gerolsteiner                                     
92 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Française des Jeux                            5.59
93 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre                                     6.00
94 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                             6.05
95 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                            6.06
96 Michael Barry (Can) High Road                                       6.09
97 Joan Horrach (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                 6.11
98 David Moncoutié (Fra) Cofidis                                          
99 Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                             6.15
100 Alessandro Proni (Ita) Quick Step                                  6.22
101 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas                                      6.23
102 Dominik Roels (Ger) Team Milram                                    6.31
103 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team CSC                                   
104 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC                                   6.33
105 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quick Step                                    6.34
106 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank                                      6.42
107 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis                                     6.44
108 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas                                    6.46
109 Roy Sentjens (Bel) Silence-Lotto                                   6.49
110 Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Saunier Duval-Scott                        6.53
111 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                       6.55
112 Davide Viganò (Ita) Quick Step                                     6.56
113 Bart Dockx (Bel) Silence-Lotto                                     7.03
114 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis                                      7.06
115 Javier Mejías (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                            7.08
116 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC                                       7.16
117 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Astana                                         7.23
118 Bert Grabsch (Ger) High Road                                       7.24
119 José Vicente Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         7.30
120 Sebastian Schwager (Ger) Team Milram                               7.32
121 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                             
122 William Bonnet (Fra) Crédit Agricole                               7.48
123 Scott Davis (Aus) High Road                                        8.03
124 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre                                      8.04
125 Volker Ordowski (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                 8.14
126 Benjamin Noval (Spa) Astana                                        8.18
127 Jon Bru (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                    8.34
128 Stéphane Augé (Fra) Cofidis                                        9.35
129 Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française des Jeux                        9.58
130 Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                9.59
131 Carlo Westphal (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                 10.08
132 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team CSC                                  10.16
133 Sergio Ghisalberti (Ita) Team Milram                              11.16
134 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Lampre                                     11.49
135 Michiel Elijzen (Ned) Rabobank                                    12.05
136 Roberto Longo (Ita) Lampre                                        12.30
137 Christian Kux (Ger) Team Milram                                   13.39
138 Alberto Fernández De La Puebla (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott          14.37
139 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Française des Jeux                           16.03
140 Emanuele Bindi (Ita) Lampre                                       16.45
141 Beñat Albizuri (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                            26.31