After a difficult return to competition in the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné during which they had bad feelings, the FDJ team had mixed fortunes on Monday, with the new crash of Laurent Pichon who was forced to abandon, and the great escape of Arnaud Courteille which ended 3.2 kilometers from the finish.

It was one crash too much for Pichon who had hurt his back and knee and struggled in the morning. This time he went down with five or six other riders after 100 kilometers of racing and was forced to finish the stage in the ambulance. He suffered no major injuries but has lost a lot of skin.

At that time, Arnaud Courteille was in the lead alongside Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka) and Quemeneur (Europcar). A week after working for his leader Alexandre Géniez at the Giro, he enjoyed the day.

"After the Col de Cuvéry (km 74) the peloton did not let us get a big lead. With my breakaway companions, we did not react before accelerating 30 kilometers from the finish. At 10 kilometers to go we were 50 seconds ahead and really gave the maximum but knew that our fate did not depend on us," he said.

"After the Giro, I had a little trouble to get back on the road but I think this Grand Tour will do me good physically. Last year I was forced to leave the Giro a handful stages before we reached Trieste but I completed this one after having also done two Vueltas. I do not think I will do the Vuelta this year. I already have done one grand tour. No, in the end of the season I want to do one-week stage races, hoping to have a chance."

On the finish line, Courteille was smilng, just like Kenny Elissonde who confessed to have had much better legs than in stage one.

"I think that was true for everyone, including Arnold Jeannesson," sports director Arnold Jeannesson said. "It was nervous but we mainly tried to avoid crashes. We have had enough this year."

In the finale, Murilo Fischer and his crew tried to deliver Kevin Reza in the sprint but the team had no luck.