"I wanted to protect the team and anticipate the sprinters."

Those were the words of Astana's Andriy Grivko after stage one of the Critérium du Dauphiné. Grivko escaped from the group on the last climb with less than 10 km to go with four other riders.

Grivko and the other attackers were caught 2km from the finish line, just when Peter Kennaugh of Great Britain counter-attacked to arrive alone in Albertville.

Vincenzo Nibali arrived 2 seconds after the stage winner and first leader of the French race.