Within the opening stage of the Criterium du Dauphine, a day constructed for the sprinters, Tadej Pogacar did the one factor he is aware of how you can do – win.
The Emirates-XRG rider was a part of a star-studded breakaway with solely 6km to go and out-sprinted Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease a Bike) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) to start out his marketing campaign off strongly and take the primary yellow jersey.
In a day stuffed with out-of-character performances, this dash end shocked even the power victor who is aware of that is solely the beginning of the lengthy 8-stage race.
He stated: “Clearly, it is good, however the true take a look at is coming on the finish of the weekend.
“I used to be not [expecting it]. I used to be all ready to return again to the bus fairly quick after the end, to take a bathe within the bus, take a cushty seat and revel in the remainder of the day. However I do not thoughts being right here as nicely,” he added.
The Slovenian’s victory got here from the break guided by Vingegaard, who, after reaching the highest of the Côte de Buffon, which had slowed down the tempo of the peloton, uncharacteristically attacked with Van der Poel and Pogacar following swimsuit. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal–Fast-Step) managed to bridge the hole to make sure they didn’t miss out on this star-studded breakaway.
Pogacar stated: “I adopted the strikes on the steep a part of the climb, after which Visma had been clearly going for the stage win. They had been making an attempt, with all people, to assault from the highest. And that one was painful.
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“And fortuitously, I had good legs and I coated all of the assaults. After which, even Jonas for the final one, for the cherry on the highest, he attacked.
“Round 2km to go, I used to be beginning to suppose extra in regards to the dash than simply the GC, and I knew that Van der Poel was the quickest, clearly, on this group. However after a end like this, you can not rely the entire relaxation out, they are often quick as nicely after a troublesome day.”
As quickly because the 5-rider group hit the flamme rouge Van der Poel struck, charging down the straight in a bid to outsprint Pogacar and Vingegaard who caught to his again wheel.
It was a take a look at of nerve for the riders, and for Van der Poel, who has simply returned from a wrist damage, additionally a take a look at of health, as Pogacar snuck around the facet of the previous world champion to clinch the primary stage victory.
He stated: “It is a stage win. I can go residence from Dauphiné completely satisfied already, however yeah, I nonetheless need to see how the form might be within the TT and on the mountain levels. I can not say that after immediately, the form is unbelievable.”
Vingegaard stated: “I had a great day, to be sincere. I am proud of the way it went immediately. Comfortable that I might make a distinction. So yeah, I assume it is the primary time I completed second in a bunch dash. So I am completely satisfied.”
It was the bunch dash full of large names that confirmed simply how aggressive this 12 months’s Criterium du Dauphine might be as they head into stage 2.
Stage 2 will see the riders head south from the suburb of Prémilhat throughout the hilly terrain with six totally different categorised climbs, culminating after 204.6km in Issoire.
