Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) once again showed his exceptional prowess on the queen stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné, withstanding relentless pressure from Visma-Lease a Bike before attacking on the final climb to Valmeinier 1800. The Slovenian extended his lead by 14 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard, securing his 98th career win and a commanding lead of over a minute in the general classification, with just one stage remaining before Mont Cenis.
Reflecting on the strategy of the day, Pogačar said, “Our plan was to assert control over all the climbs, but Visma threw everything they had at me. I was really pleased with Pavel [Sivakov] and the entire team’s effort. We had to defend against multiple attacks, and I chose to make my move at 12 kilometers to go. I was able to pace myself well and maintain a solid rhythm to the top. It feels great to defend the jersey like this.”
As usual, Pogačar and Vingegaard were head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) continued to impress, securing third place overall and reinforcing his lead in the young rider competition. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) finished fifth on the stage, while Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) surged to fifth overall with a strong ride. Further down the standings, 18-year-old Paul Seixas (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) once again showcased his immense potential, moving up to sixth place in the general classification.
Visma-Lease a Bike wasted no time in setting the tone for the stage. Belgian time trial specialist Victor Campenaerts was the first to make a move, attacking immediately after the race kicked off. His teammate Sepp Kuss then infiltrated an early breakaway that formed on the Col de la Madeleine. This group, which included Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-QuickStep), and Alexey Lutsenko (Israel Premier-Tech), among others, surged ahead on the climb, gaining a lead of just over a minute on the peloton, which was being controlled by UAE.
As the race continued, Visma-Lease a Bike took charge once again on the immense Croix de Fer pass. Campenaerts set a blistering pace that shattered the yellow jersey group, leaving just 15 riders in contention. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma) picked up where his teammate left off, further splintering the pack. By the time the leaders crested the Croix de Fer, the gap to the breakaway was narrowing quickly.
On the descent, Romain Bardet (Picnic PostNL) made a move, pushing ahead from the breakaway. Bardet, racing towards the final summit of his storied career, reached the base of the final climb with a 50-second lead. However, Pogačar, supported by his loyal teammate Sivakov, was never far behind. Visma’s Vingegaard, Jorgenson, Kuss, and Ben Tulett continued to apply pressure, but Pogačar’s response was swift and decisive.
At the foot of the final climb to Valmeinier 1800, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale took over the pacing, quickly putting an end to Bardet’s hopes of holding onto his lead. With Bardet caught, Kuss launched an attack, only for Sivakov to reel him in, maintaining the tempo for Pogačar.
Seizing the moment, Pogačar went on the offensive, launching an attack that only Vingegaard could initially match. However, the Danish rider soon began to fade, as the gap between him and Pogačar fluctuated, staying within a few seconds. Pogačar, despite battling the scorching heat, kept his composure and pushed the pace, while Vingegaard appeared to be struggling, visibly grimacing as he fought to limit his losses.
The Slovenian’s attack was enough to secure the stage win and extend his overall lead. Vingegaard, although unable to match Pogačar’s explosive acceleration, did well to minimize the damage. With just one stage remaining, Pogačar now holds a comfortable advantage and is well-positioned to take his first Critérium du Dauphiné title before heading into the Tour de France as the favorite for a fourth consecutive victory.
HIGHLIGHTS
RESULTS
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
