Critérium du Dauphiné 2025: Pogacar draws first blood

foto: Cor VosJonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, Santiago Buitrago, Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel animate the final 5 kilometres. On the finishing straight, the peloton threatens to come alongside just as Van der Poel opens up his sprint. Pogacar is the first to surge past and takes the win, with Vingegaard crossing the line in second. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 1st stage 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné

1. Tadej Pogacar (slo)
2. Jonas Vingegaard (den) s.t.
3. Mathieu van der Poel (nld) s.t.
4. Remco Evenepoel (bel) s.t.
5. Jake Stewart (gbr) s.t.
6. Hugo Page (fra) s.t.
7. Bastien Tronchon (fra) s.t.
8. Clément Venturini (fra) s.t.
9. Benjamin Thomas (fra) s.t.
10. Paul Penhoët (fra) s.t.

GC after stage 1
1. Tadej Pogacar (slo)
2. Jonas Vingegaard (den) + 0.04
3. Mathieu van der Poel (nld) + 0.06
4. Nils Politt (ger) + 0.09
5. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 0.10
6. Jake Stewart (gbr) s.t.
7. Hugo Page (fra) s.t.
8. Bastien Tronchon (fra) s.t.
8. Clément Venturini (fra) s.t.
10. Benjamin Thomas (fra) s.t.

Race report
Paul Ourselin and Pierre Thierry take up the mantle in the breakaway, and they carve out a lead of up to 4 minutes.

With 37 kilometres to go, only Thierry remains out front. He is almost caught as Fred Wright bridges across. The two of them carve out a 45-second lead over the peloton, which is halved when Wright heads alone with 23 kilometres remaining.

On the final climb, the peloton thunders past Wright, and inside the last 5.5 kilometres, Jonas Vingegaard launches an attack. Tadej Pogacar, Santiago Buitrago and Mathieu van der Poel follow, while Remco Evenepoel closes the gap a little later.

In the closing phase, the five leaders stay about 10 seconds ahead of the chasing peloton. With 300 metres to go, they look set to be caught – but Van der Poel has other ideas. He launches a long-range sprint, effectively becoming the perfect lead-out man. Pogacar is the first to pass him, followed by Vingegaard. That’s also the order in which they cross the line, with Evenepoel finishing fourth.

Buitrago is swallowed up by the bunch, where Jake Stewart takes the sprint.

Another interesting read: route 1st stage 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné.