Team LottoNL-Jumbo showed itself in the first stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné. The team came to France to race aggressively and fight for a good result in every stage. Maarten Wynants and Wilco Kelderman were able to act on those plans during the first day Sunday, when Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky) won.

“We really wanted to be part of the breakaway,” Sports Director Merijn Zeeman said after the first stage. “That succeeded, Maarten was there, but two of the other riders were stronger than he was. Bjorn Thurau (Bora-Argon 18) stayed away for the longest time, but he couldn’t make it either.”

Wynants also added that it was difficult to hold the lead.

“It was a tough stage,” he said. “I was thinking about attacking today already. The others are sitting on the fence a little bit more in the first day of a stage race, normally. That makes it easier to attack.

"Today, it wasn’t the same story. There were a lot of teams that wanted to go for the stage win. We had an advantage of seven and half minutes once, but that was brought back very quickly, afterwards. I didn’t give everything I had on the last climb because of that. I picked up some water bottles for the guys in the peloton and started to think about tomorrow.”
 

In the final of the stage, Wilco Kelderman played a part in the fight.

“Wilco was looking strong,” Zeeman said. “He sprinted to a good result and took 11th. Riding in the Dauphiné is always unpredictable. That’s why we want to go for our chances every day. We are going to try it again, tomorrow.”