Pogacar wins second Dauphine mountain stage to retain Dauphine lead
Slovenia's cycling sensation Tadej Pogacar solidified his lead at the Criterium du Dauphine with a commanding performance in the race's highly anticipated 'Queen Stage.'
The reigning Tour de France and road world champion showcased his prowess on Saturday, completing the challenging 132-kilometer route from Grand-Aigueblanche to Valmeinier with a decisive victory, marking his second consecutive stage win.
Pogacar, riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, demonstrated his climbing strength by breaking away from the pack 12 kilometers from the finish line. He crossed the finish ahead of his closest rival, Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, by a margin of 14 seconds. This victory not only reinforces Pogacar's dominance but also extends his overall lead to one minute and one second over Vingegaard as the race heads into its final stage.
"I launched it and maintained a good pace to the top," Pogacar remarked after clinching his 98th career stage win, a milestone that places him ahead of French sprinter Arnaud Demare for the most wins among active riders. "Today Jonas was really strong. I did not want to go too deep myself. It was a super hot and long climb. Luckily, I had enough time to ease up in the last kilometers and recover."
Germany's Florian Lipowitz finished third in the stage, but remains significantly behind Pogacar, trailing by two minutes and 21 seconds. Meanwhile, Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel experienced setbacks, falling to fourth overall and now sits one minute and 50 seconds behind the leader.
As the Criterium du Dauphine serves as a traditional precursor to the Tour de France, which kicks off on Saturday, July 5, Pogacar's performance is a strong indicator of his readiness for the upcoming challenges. The final stage promises another grueling test, covering 133.3 kilometers from Val-d'Arc to the Plateau du Mont-Cenis, where Pogacar will aim to defend his yellow jersey against fierce competition.