Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Jan Bakelants continues to demonstrate good form. The Belgian rider finished 17th in a hectic final, 130.5km Stage 8 of Critérium du Dauphiné, where the battle for the overall victory came down to the final kilometers.
The stage featured back-to-back Category 1 climbs, and the main GC contenders were spread all along the parcours. Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp) caught yellow jersey wearer Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) by complete surprise, getting into a large original breakaway group . He maintained enough of a gap, after going into the final climb with eight riders, to win the GC by 27 seconds. Chris Froome (Team Sky), who was just behind Contador in the GC going into the stage, was even further back.
Mikel Nieve (Team Sky) won the stage. Romain Bardet (AG2R - La Mondiale) was 2nd, and Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEDGE) was 3rd.
Bakelants also was the top overall finisher for OPQS, finishing 20th.
