Critérium du Dauphiné 2022: Vuillermoz wins from the breakaway to take race lead

image: Cor VosAlexis Vuillermoz outgunned his fellow attackers Olivier Le Gac, Anders Skaarseth, Anthony Delaplace and Kevin Vermaerke on the line in Brives-Charensac. The Frenchman is the new overall race leader. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2nd stage 2022 Critérium du Dauphiné

1. Alexis Vuillermoz (fra)
2. Anders Skaarseth (nor) s.t.
3. Olivier Le Gac (fra) s.t.
4. Kevin Vermaerke (usa) s.t.
5. Anthony Delaplace (fra) s.t.
6. Wout van Aert (bel) + 0.05
7. Ethan Hayter (gbr) s.t.
8. Hugo Page (fra) s.t.
9. Clément Venturini (fra) s.t.
10. Alexandr Riabushenko (rus) s.t.

GC after stage 2
1. Alexis Vuillermoz (fra)
2. Anders Skaarseth (nor) + 0.03
3. Olivier Le Gac (fra) + 0.04
4. Wout van Aert (bel) + 0.05
5. Kevin Vermaerke (usa) + 0.07
6. Ethan Hayter (gbr) + 0.09
7. Anthony Delaplace (fra) + 0.10
9. Sean Quinn (usa) + 0.11
9. Maxime Bouet (fra) + 0.12
10. Laurens Huys (bel) + 0.13

Race report
The first 20 kilometres of the stage sees several attempts to break away, but most are short lived. Then Olivier Le Gac, Anders Skaarseth, Anthony Delaplace, Xandres Vervloesem and Kevin Vermaerke join forces, while Alexis Vuillermoz bridges across. This is the right move and the six open a maximum gap of 4.35 minutes.

Vervloesem pockets most KOM points on the Côte de Désaignes and Côte de Saint-Agrève before he loses contact on the third climb. Vuillermoz is the first rider over the Col de Mézilhac with the peloton 3.30 minutes in arrears.

The peloton (Jumbo-Visma) begins to chase in the final 30 kilometres in a bid to bring yellow jersey van Aert back into contention. The gap falls to 30 seconds in the final 10 kilometres, but then it stabilises.

The five enter the final kilometre with a 20 seconds lead, which is enough to fight for the stage win. Le Gac launches an attack inside the last 400 metres. He opens a gap and turns himself into a target at the same time.

Vuillermoz and Skaarseth get back onto Le Gac’s wheel and power past him. The Frechman takes first place, Skaarset finishes in second, Le Gac in third.

Van Aert wins the peloton sprint 5 seconds later, but loses the yellow jersey to the stage winner.

Another interesting read: route 2nd stage 2022 Critérium du Dauphiné.