Primoz Roglic takes Dauphine lead as peloton Battered by Huge Hailstorm!

Riders and fans were battered by a huge hailstorm on the final brutal climb of the Col de Porte, with some forced off the road to take shelter. Froome dropped and loses more time!

Vuelta a Espana champion Primoz Roglic clinched the overall lead after winning the second stage of the Criterium du Dauphine on Thursday as Chris Froome continued to struggle on his return to the race.

Four-time Tour de France winner Froome, who was involved in a high-speed crash at last year's Criterium which almost cost the Team Ineos rider his career, finished in 49th place, 8 minutes 32 seconds behind Jumbo-Visma's Roglic.

Reigning Tour de France champion, and Froome's Ineos team-mate, Egan Bernal lost his overall lead after the first stage with a 10th place finish trailing by 10 seconds.

Photo: Riders Maxime Chevalier and Tim Declerq with visible bruises from the Hail.

Stage 2 was another big day, culminating on the Brutal climb of Col de Porte, a 17.5 km climb at an averge of 6.2%. 

In the original eight man breakaway were; Jérôme Cousin and Geoffrey Soupe (Total Direct Energie), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Jasha Sütterlin (Team Sunweb), Ben O’Connor (NTT Pro Cycling), Michael Schär (CCC Team), Fabien Doubey (Circus-Wanty Gobert).

With 58 kms to go, the eight early attackers had built a lead of 2m 50s, meanwhile Jumbo Visma set the pace in the peloton.

With 40 kms to go, the eight man breakaway had 2 minutes as they hit the Cote Malliot, 6.2 km climb with a fierce average gradient of 8%.

Sutterlin and Doubey lost contact with the break as it started to split apart. 

Michael Schär (CCC Team), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) pushed on, their lead down to 1m 21s

There was a nasty crash, everyone was back up and riding except Dan Martin who looks to have hurt his left shoulder.

However, Dan Martin and LL Sanchez both got back on their bikes and managed to finish the stage. Jerome Cousin was last to finish over 47 minutes behind and was over the the limit like a few others, but it seems like they are allowed to start tomorrow according to results due to the hail storm.

The two breakaway leaders reached the lower slopes of the Col de Porte, 16.6 kms uphill.

As the peloton hit the final climb with 16.6 kms to go, riders including Bob Jungels were dropped. Deceuninck-QuickStep leader Julian Alaphilippe had another disappointing day and was also dropped.

At one point, the accumulation turned into floods and a guy like @tonymartin85 had to find a new shelter... Our own @guyniv1 said:”It hit me so hard... Never experienced something like that.., just wanted to cross the line and get to the bus... Crazy! ” @dauphine pic.twitter.com/21BwHcGvNn

— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@YallaIsraelSUN) August 13, 2020

It took our @DanMartin86 , still in pain from his crash, about 20 min to get to our bus on top of the climb. Thankfully all riders - and some poor fans - came out of this - safely. @dauphine #CriteriumduDauphine pic.twitter.com/trk0KJD2qB

— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@YallaIsraelSUN) August 13, 2020

Within seconds the road looked like a ice rink and riders were desperately trying to stay on their bikes ... or to decide to walk up to the finish line on the ice... #criteriumdauphine @dauphine pic.twitter.com/u5UN2SM43F

— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@YallaIsraelSUN) August 13, 2020

Many Riders - including our boys - were hit by one hell of a hail storm - worst Than anything we expirienced. The scene was total chaos and mayhem. .. riders running for cover, hit hard by icy mini ping pong balls. #CriteriumduDauphine @dauphine pic.twitter.com/Y6XI0PCSRs

— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@YallaIsraelSUN) August 13, 2020

The Tour de France starts on 29 August with Froome's participation yet to be confirmed by Ineos before he leaves for Israel Start-Up Nation at the end of the campaign.

VIDEO: 2020 Dauphine Stage 2 Highlights

2020 Dauphine Stage 2 Top 10

1 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 3:39:40
2 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:08
3 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
4 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis
5 Nairo Quintana (Col) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:00:10
6 Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team
7 Daniel Martinez (Col) EF Pro Cycling
8 Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Bahrain McLaren
9 Richie Porte (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
10 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Ineos 

2020 Dauphine GC after Stage 2

1 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 9:07:12
2 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:12
3 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:14
4 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Ineos 0:00:16
5 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis 0:00:18
6 Nairo Quintana (Col) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:00:20
7  Richie Porte (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
8 Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Bahrain McLaren
9 Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team
10 Daniel Martinez (Col) EF Pro Cycling