• Criterium du Dauphine, Prologue

Wiggins second as Durbridge takes prologue

Luke Durbridge celebrates on the podium after winning the prologue © PA Photos

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Bradley Wiggins was forced to settle for second place as Australian Luke Durbridge laid down a marker by winning the Criterium du Dauphine prologue.

Triple Olympic champion Wiggins, bidding to defend his Dauphine Libere title in the lead-up to the Tour de France, was the last man out and had to contend with high winds as he tackled the 5.7km course in Grenoble.

Despite the less than favourable conditions, Wiggins - who won the Paris-Nice race in March - was only a second behind Orica-GreenEdge's Durbridge, who finished in a time of six minutes 38 seconds. Ukrainian Andriy Grivko came home in third.

"I'm speechless. I didn't expect this at all," Durbridge said.

The seven-stage week-long race is notoriously used by the top riders to fine tune their preparations for the Tour de France, which begins on June 30 in Belgium. The 187km first stage of the Criterium du Dauphine, from Seyssins to Saint-Vallier, takes place on Monday.

Prologue result
1 Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge 0:06:38
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:01
3 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team 0:00:03
4 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team
5 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:00:05
6 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
7 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
8 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:00:06
9 Cadel Evans (Aus) Bmc Racing Team
10 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team 0:00:07

Points
1 Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge - 15pts
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling - 12pts
3 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team - 10pts
4 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team - 8pts
5 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quick Step - 6pts
6 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica GreenEdge - 5pts
7 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team - 4pts
8 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick Step - 3pts
9 Cadel Evans (Aus) Bmc Racing Team - 2pts
10 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team - 1pt

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