Hail wreaks havoc at Dauphine finish

Riders were forced to take shelter as hail assailed the finishing climb of the Col de Porte on the second stage of the Criterium du Dauphine.

Tim Declercq posted images of his bruised back to Instagram after the stage Source: Tim Declercq/Instagram

Just minutes after Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) had crossed the finish line atop the Col de Porte in triumph, large hailstones were raining down on the climb. 

Riders and staff were forced to rush to under cover or shelter in cars and buses to avoid the weather. The worst hit were Tim Declercq (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and Maxime Chevalier (B&B Hotels-Vital Concept) who both posted pictures to social media of their backs covered in bruises from the hail.

Roglic's family huddled in a reporter's car as the general classification leader was being awarded his yellow jersey, while teammate Tony Martin got improvised shelter from someone with a Jumbo-Visma lilo on the side of the road.

Tony Martin of Jumbo-Visma huddles beneath a lilo at the Criterium du Dauphine Source: Twitter

The peloton seems set for a reprieve from the bad weather for a few stages but there are scattered thunderstorms forecast for the final stage on Sunday.