Valmeinier: With another searing performance, Tadej Pogacar made it two victories in as many days at the Critérium du Dauphiné, as he further strengthened his grip on the yellow jersey as race leader. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider attacked with 12km of the final mountain to ride on stage 7, quickly distancing his rivals and going alone to the finish.
According to Emirates News Agency, Pogacar’s acceleration left Jonas Vingegaard from Visma-Lease a Bike unable to hold the wheel, forcing the Dane into a lengthy but futile pursuit of the world champion. Initially, Florian Lipowitz from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe joined Vingegaard in a chase, but Vingegaard’s strength saw him secure second place.
Pogacar maintained his rhythm and powered his way to the top of Valmeinier 1800. The yellow jersey wearer claimed the 98th victory of his career, extending his advantage in the lead of the race to 1:01 ahead of Sunday’s final stage.
Earlier in the stage, Visma-Lease a Bike tried to gain the upper hand on the Emirati sq
uad by setting a hard pace on the Col de la Croix de Fer. Despite their efforts, Pogacar’s team, with support from Pavel Sivakov, maintained control.
Pogacar commented on the day’s strategy, acknowledging Visma’s early attacks and praising his team, particularly Sivakov, for their performance. He explained how his team managed to defend against Visma’s attempts and expressed satisfaction in maintaining the lead.
The results of stage 7 placed Pogacar in first, with Vingegaard and Lipowitz following. Pogacar leads the general classification, ahead by 1:01 from Vingegaard and 2:21 from Lipowitz.