Rogers impressive in the mountains

Michael Rogers isn't quite in form (Image credit: JF Quenet)

By Jean-François Quénet in Annemasse

A 38th at the time trial of the Dauphiné for a triple world champion of that specialty wasn't exactly what people expected from Michael Rogers but the Australian wasn't bitter the day after. "I must be aware that this was only my first time trial for one year," he told Cyclingnews at the start of stage four. However, he was smiling and obviously in a good mood with more intentions to try his luck in the Alpine event. His initial plan was to test himself in one of the mountain stages, however he did it in the first real climb of the Dauphiné, the Mont Salève – a climb that is no walk in the park.

As the front group was splitting from the back, Rogers asked his team-mate George Hincapie if he wanted him to wait to attack, but the USA rider said, "Go!" Rogers was one of the 25 men who climbed the best alongside Alejandro Valverde and Robert Gesink and he attacked to go clear. On the finishing line in Annemasse, he preceded the yellow jersey group by two seconds and almost caught the reminder of the breakaway group sprinting for fifth place.

"Michael has had a good progression," his Team High Road directeur sportif Allan Peiper said. "His first race back after so many different problems was the Tour of Catalunya last month. His weight is down. He looks good, that's the main thing. He came to a training camp in the Pyrénées for three days and he was riding his time trial bike in between the mountain sessions. Now we have to see his resistance and his recovery."