Tadej Pogačar turned the tables on his general classification rivals during stage six of the 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné, unleashing a fierce uphill attack in Combloux to claim both the stage victory and the race lead. With just two Alpine stages remaining, the Slovenian now sits atop the standings — a familiar position for the reigning world champion.
After losing ground in Wednesday’s time trial, Pogačar entered Friday’s mountainous test with time to make up. But by the day’s end, he had not only erased the 38-second deficit to the yellow jersey but carved out a new lead of over 40 seconds. His decisive move came with seven kilometers remaining on the double-layered climb to Combloux, where he rose from his saddle only after the damage had been done.
Launching his attack while still seated — a sign of his composure and raw strength — Pogačar dropped both Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel with one fluid acceleration. The Dane clung on briefly before conceding ground, while Evenepoel, who began the day in yellow, was left behind almost immediately.
Speaking after the stage, Pogačar reflected on the effort with calm confidence: “I felt really good. I knew it was still a long way to the finish after the Côte de Domancy, so I had to control the effort. But when the legs are there and the sensations are right, you go.” He credited his teammates at UAE Team Emirates-XRG for laying the groundwork, as they controlled the approach to the climb and delivered him perfectly to the steepest ramps.
Vingegaard did what he could to limit the damage, but by the summit, he trailed Pogačar by more than a minute. It marked a striking reversal of fortunes from two days prior, when the Visma-Lease a Bike leader had taken time in the race against the clock. Asked about his time trial shortcomings, Pogačar acknowledged them with typical honesty. “It’s still something we have to work on — for me and the team. But the form is there, and now we just have to stay calm ahead of the Tour.”
Evenepoel’s troubles went beyond simply losing the jersey. Dropping to fourth overall, he was also overtaken by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Florian Lipowitz, who climbed impressively to finish third on the stage. The young German continues to ride with surprising consistency, firmly placing himself in the GC mix.
Meanwhile, French veteran Romain Bardet was among those who animated the race early on. In what may be his final outing at the Dauphiné, Bardet joined a breakaway that also featured Mathieu van der Poel, who started the day just 14 seconds off yellow. But with such a short stage — only 126.7 kilometers — the escape never gained enough time. Their margin evaporated with 45 kilometers to go as Visma-Lease a Bike drove a hard pace into the foothills, laying the foundations for a climactic showdown.
Sepp Kuss attempted to spark an early GC move with a testing attack, which was countered by Lipowitz. But the real action wouldn’t ignite until the final climb began. The remnants of the break — including Michael Leonard and Alex Baudin — hit the lower slopes of the Combloux climb with a minute in hand, only to be caught well before the summit.
As the road pitched up for the final time, UAE’s plan came into full focus. With his teammates peeling off one by one, Pogačar struck with surgical timing. Vingegaard tried to match him but faltered, and Evenepoel disappeared from view. The Slovenian rode smoothly to the finish, his gap extending with every pedal stroke.
Crossing the line solo, Pogačar clocked a winning margin of one minute and one second — enough to pull on the yellow jersey and firmly establish himself as the man to beat with two tough mountain days remaining. It was a reminder, as if any were needed, of his all-terrain brilliance.
And yet, despite the stakes and the pressure, Pogačar’s day ended with a personal moment of joy. He managed to catch the finish of his partner Urška Žigart’s stage at the Tour de Suisse, where she placed inside the top fifteen. “I was just in time,” he said with a smile. “So all good.”
All good indeed — and for the rest of the peloton, all too familiar.
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