June 12, 2025 – Stage 5: Saint-Priest > Mâcon 183km
After days of mountain mayhem and GC fireworks, Stage 5 on the Critérium du Dauphiné lastly threw a bone to the fastmen—and it was James Stewart of Israel-Premier Tech who grabbed it with each arms. The 23-year-old Brit launched a blistering dash in Mâcon to assert the largest win of his younger profession and a uncommon second of glory for the sprinters on this 12 months’s climbing-heavy version.
Followers and riders love the Dauphine as a result of the relaxed vibe is to reverse Le Tour.
It wasn’t handed to him both—Stewart surged previous some critical horsepower within the ultimate sprint, together with Matteo Trentin (Tudor Professional Biking) and TotalEnergies’ Dries Van Gestel, who needed to accept second and third, respectively. The ultimate dash was chaotic and messy, as you’d count on after after 200 kilometers of French summer time warmth, rolling terrain and a nervous peloton. However Stewart timed his transfer to perfection, browsing wheels and punching clear with simply the correct mix of endurance and panache.
“It was a brilliant laborious day, particularly with the break dangling on the market for thus lengthy,” mentioned Stewart post-stage. “However I knew if I might maintain place by way of the final roundabout, I had the legs. This one’s for the group.”
And talking of the break—Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny) and the always-combative Clément Russo (Groupama-FDJ) gave the peloton a correct scare, protecting the hole hovering across the minute mark till the final 15 km. It took some full-gas chasing from the dash squads to lastly carry the duo to heel.
Up entrance within the GC, it was establishment. Remco Evenpoel stored his grip on yellow, with no adjustments within the high 10, even after he went down contained in the final km (with no time penalty as a result of being inside the ultimate 3km). The massive weapons had been completely happy to let the sprinters play at the moment—however with extra mountains looming on the horizon, they’ll be again at it quickly sufficient.
So a day for the fast-twitchers, a giant profession increase for Stewart, and a reminder that even within the land of the grimpeurs, once in a while, the sprinters get their say.
Tomorrow’s Stage 6 runs 126.7 km from Valserhône > Combloux, with a summit end atop the 9km lengthy climb to Combloux.
Stage 5 Outcomes
Total After Stage 5
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