Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) has claimed the 2017 Criterium du Dauphine after winning a dramatic eighth and final stage to Plateau de Solaison.
Fuglsang went into the stage in third place, but he managed to overhaul his rivals on a gruelling mountain ride, 115km long over three cols (Saisies, Aravis, Colombiere) before a final climb to the finish line at the Plateau de Solaison, high in the Alps.
The 32-year-old Dane soloed to the stage win, finishing 12sec ahead of Daniel Martin (Quick-Step Floors). Crucially, overnight leader Porte was 1min 15sec off the pace and Froome, who started the ride in second, a further 21sec adrift.
“It has been incredible, since the start everyone attacked the Yellow Jersey”, commented Fuglsang. “We tried to do the same tactic of the BMC… the Porte remained alone and there was a big confusion at the front until Fabio attacked and at the point the other teams has to work to close the gap.”
“I took a big advantage from this situation and when in the final Martin attacked, I had the legs to follow him and I did, honestly I couldn’t believe that all of this was happening: I’m super super happy this is just great!”.
Criterium du Dauphine 2017 – stage 8 results (Albertville – Plateau de Solaison):
| 1 | Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) | 3:26:20 |
| 2 | Daniel Martin (Quick-Step Floors) | +12” |
| 3 | Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates) | +27” |
| 4 | Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-hansgrohe) | +44” |
| 5 | Fabio Aru (Astana) | +01’01” |
| 6 | Romain Bardet (AG2R) | +01’02” |
| 7 | Richie Porte (BMC) | +01’15” |
| 8 | Christopher Froome (Team Sky) | +01’36” |
| 9 | Rafael Valls (Lotto Soudal) | +01’41” |
| 10 | Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) | +03’30” |
Final general classification:
| 1 | Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) | 29:05:54 |
| 2 | Richie Porte (BMC) | +10” |
| 3 | Daniel Martin (Quick-Step Floors) | +01’32” |
| 4 | Christopher Froome (Team Sky) | +01’33” |
| 5 | Fabio Aru (Astana) | +01’37” |
| 6 | Romain Bardet (AG2R) | +02’04” |
| 7 | Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-hansgrohe) | +02’32” |
| 8 | Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates) | +03’12” |
| 9 | Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) | +04’08” |
| 10 | Rafael Valls (Lotto Soudal) | +04’40” |
