Remco Evenepoel Smashes Rivals at Dauphiné Time Trial, Claims Race Lead

Remco Evenepoel powered to a sensational victory in the time trial on stage four of the Critérium du Dauphiné, taking control of the race and leaving his competitors in his wake

The reigning Olympic and World Champion clocked an astonishing time of 20:50:90 over the 17.4-kilometre course, averaging an exhilarating 50 km/h, and now dons the coveted yellow jersey as the overall leader.

Evenepoel’s performance was nothing short of extraordinary, as he obliterated the times of renowned rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar, both of whom are formidable contenders for the upcoming Tour de France. Vingegaard finished the trial in 21:10:90, trailing Evenepoel by a staggering 20 seconds, while Pogacar, a two-time Paris-Nice winner, fell further behind, crossing the line with a time of 21:39:90—49 seconds adrift of the Belgian star.

“I am thrilled with today's performance,” Evenepoel stated after the race. “The course suited me perfectly, and I felt strong from the start. This victory is not just for me, but for my entire team who supported me every step of the way.”

As the dust settled in Saint-Péray, the overall standings saw a significant shake-up. Evenepoel now leads the general classification by four seconds over Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, and is nine seconds ahead of Iván Romeo, who relinquished his lead to the Belgian powerhouse. Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck sits in fourth place, just 14 seconds behind Evenepoel, while Vingegaard and Eddie Dunbar round out the top six, sitting at 16 and 30 seconds back, respectively.

The implications of Evenepoel’s victory extend beyond just the time trial. Tadej Pogacar’s aspirations for overall victory have taken a significant hit, as he now finds himself in eighth place, 38 seconds off the pace. Meanwhile, Matteo Jorgenson of Visma | Lease a Bike claimed ninth place, just one second behind Pogacar.

In addition to his overall lead, Evenepoel also tops the best young rider classification, further solidifying his status as one of cycling's brightest talents. Van der Poel retains the green jersey as the points leader, while Paul Ourselin of Cofidis continues to lead the king of the mountains standings. Visma | Lease a Bike has now ascended to the top of the team standings, showcasing their collective strength in this year’s competition.

With the Critérium du Dauphiné entering its final stages, all eyes will be on Evenepoel as he seeks to maintain his lead and secure a prestigious victory. The next stages promise to deliver more thrilling action as the world’s best cyclists battle for supremacy.

VIDEO: Stage 4 Highlights

Stage 4 Top 10

1  EVENEPOEL Remco Soudal Quick-Step 20:50
2  VINGEGAARD Jonas Team Visma | Lease a Bike 0:21
3  JORGENSON Matteo Team Visma | Lease a Bike 0:38
4  POGACAR Tadej UAE Team Emirates - XRG 0:49
5  LIPOWITZ Florian Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe 0:57
6  VAN DER POEL Mathieu Alpecin - Deceuninck 1:02
7  CAVAGNA Rémi Groupama - FDJ 1:07
8  DUNBAR Eddie Team Jayco AlUla 1:10
9  FOSS Tobias INEOS Grenadiers 1:10
10  SEIXAS Paul Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team 1:12

GC after Stage 4

1  EVENEPOEL Remco Soudal Quick-Step 14:31:08
2  LIPOWITZ Florian Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe 0:04
3  ROMEO Iván Movistar Team 0:09
4  VAN DER POEL Mathieu Alpecin - Deceuninck 0:14
5  VINGEGAARD Jonas Team Visma | Lease a Bike 0:16
6  DUNBAR Eddie Team Jayco AlUla 0:30
7  TEJADA Harold XDS Astana Team ,,
8  POGACAR Tadej UAE Team Emirates - XRG 0:38
9  JORGENSON Matteo Team Visma | Lease a Bike 0:39
10  BARRÉ Louis Intermarché - Wanty 1:03