Briton's Jake Stewart wins stage five as Evenepoel crashes

Britain's Jake Stewart triumphed in stage five of the Criterium du Dauphine, marking his first World Tour victory. The Israel-Premier Tech rider outpaced hot favorite Jonathan Milan of Lidl-Trek in a nail-biting bunch sprint, while overall leader Remco Evenepoel of Belgium faced a dramatic crash just 500 meters from the finish line

Stewart's victory came after a grueling 183-kilometer stage that took riders through the picturesque landscapes of southeast France. In the final sprint, Stewart executed a perfectly timed attack, launching his effort early and securing a decisive lead over Milan, who was unable to recover despite his impressive power. The tailwind conditions aided Stewart's sprint, allowing him to cross the finish line in Macon with arms raised in triumph.

"That feels good," Stewart exclaimed after the race. "It's such a shame my teammate Pascal Ackermann crashed earlier in the stage and abandoned, but the team and the boys backed me, and I'm so happy I could finish it off for them."

The race took a dramatic turn as Evenepoel, riding for Soudal-Quick Step, crashed within the final 500 meters, ripping the material on the right shoulder of his leader's yellow jersey. Fortunately, he appeared uninjured and retained his overall lead due to the newly introduced 5-kilometer rule, which awards all riders the same time in the event of a crash within the designated distance. This rule, along with the longstanding 3-kilometer rule typically applied to flat sprint stages, ensured Evenepoel maintained his position at the top of the leaderboard.

Stewart's victory not only cements his emerging status in the cycling world but also raises eyebrows regarding his new prototype bike, which features an innovative aerodynamic front fork design. When asked about the bike, Stewart was coy, stating, "I'm not allowed to say too much about that."

As the Criterium du Dauphine progresses into the high mountains of the French Alps, anticipation builds for the upcoming stages. The next challenge will be a 126.7-kilometer race to Combloux, followed by a stage that promises explosive action, featuring three steep hors category climbs to Valmeinier.

Historically, the Dauphine serves as a crucial warm-up for the Tour de France, with only four of the last ten overall winners going on to secure victory in cycling's most prestigious event. Stewart's performance has positioned him as a contender to watch as he prepares for next month's Tour de France.]

VIDEO: Evenepoel Crash

VIDEO: Stage Five Highlights

Stage five results

1. Jake Stewart (GB/Israel-Premier Tech) 4hrs 3mins 46secs
2. Axel Laurance (Fra/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time
3. Soren Warenskjold (Nor/Uno-X Mobility)
4. Laurence Pithie (NZ/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
5. Jonathan Milan (Ita/Lidl-Trek)
6. Paul Penhoet (Fra/Groupama-FDJ)
7. Emilien Jeanniere (Fra/TotalEnergies)
8. Fred Wright (GB/Bahrain-Victorious)
9. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned/Alpecin-Deceuninck)
10. Bastien Tronchon (Fra/Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)

General classification after stage five

1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal-Quick Step) 18hrs 34mins 54secs
2. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) +4secs
3. Ivan Romeo (Spa/Movistar) +9secs
4. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned/Alpecin-Deceuninck) +14secs
5. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +16secs
6. Eddie Dunbar (Irl/Jayco-AlUla) +30secs
7. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +38secs
8. Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +39secs
9. Louis Barre (Fra/Intermarche-Wanty) +1min 03secs
10. Paul Seixas (Fra/Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) +1min 13secs