The 3rd stage of the Critèrium du Dauphinè was a team time trial on a 24.5km course from Roanne to Montagny. The road had some hills and many bends.

.

LAMPRE-MERIDA took part in the team time trial with 7 riders, because on Monday evening Sacha Modolo left France for Italy in order to take care of the health conditions of a relative. Despite this, the athletes of the sport directors Mauduit and Scirea succeded in being among the best 10 teams with 8th: they covered the course in 30’45”, 47″ more than winners BMC.

In the overall classification, Rui Costa is 29th, 48″ seconds from new leader Dennis (same deficit for Oliveira, Valls, Plaza and Serpa)

“The riders did a very good performance at their best level in this kind of speciality and on this kind of course, also considering that Sacha was not with us," sports director Philippe Mauduit explained. "We wanted to check our limits in the TTT in view of the same kind of race we’ll face soon in the Tour de France. Today one was our last dress rehearsals before the TTT we’ll face in the Grande Boucle.  Our riders were great and they succeded in posting a positive time“.