Tadej Pogacar wins first Criterium du Dauphine ahead of Tour de France title defence
– Reigning Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar wrapped up the Criterium du Dauphine on June 15 with a podium finish in the eighth and final stage, which was won by France's Lenny Martinez.
A winner of three stages in total, the Slovenian dominated the 77th edition of the Dauphine to top the overall classification by 59sec ahead of Dane Jonas Vingegaard – three weeks before the start of the Tour de France.
'It's been a really amazing week,' Pogacar said.
'Once again today, the team (UAE Team Emirates) did a great job. We managed to defend the (yellow) jersey and we can go home happy and prepare for the Tour.'
German Florian Lipowitz completed the podium, 2min 38sec behind Pogacar, while Belgium's Remco Evenepoel came fourth at 4:21.
The June 15 final stage was a 133.3km mountainous trek from Val-d'Arc to Val-Cenis, with an uphill finish at the Plateau du Mont-Cenis.
The 21-year-old Martinez caught Spaniard Enric Mas with 8km to go to give France its first victory in this Dauphine, finishing 34sec ahead of Vingegaard and Pogacar.
Vingegaard tried to catch Martinez but was unable to shake off Pogacar. The Dane and the Slovenian then stopped attacking and rolled in together.
Pogacar now has 99 victories – a record for an active rider at just 26 years of age.
'There's a lot of positives from this week and we turned all the negatives into positives, so it's all good,' said Pogacar, who bounced back from a poor time-trial performance in stage 4 to lay down the gauntlet to his principal Tour rivals.
'There's not much to do ahead of the Tour. I rest a bit, maybe some extra work for the time trial, and then I'm ready,' the three-time Tour winner added.
The 2025 Tour de France runs from July 5 to 27, with Pogacar the firm favourite following his first Dauphine crown.
Vingegaard, who won the Tour in 2022 and 2023, admitted as much, saying 'Tadej is the biggest favourite'.
When asked if he saw any chinks in his rival's armour, the 28-year-old added: 'Tadej looks very, very strong, so it's hard to see anything. We also focus more on ourselves, to be honest. And even if I did see something, I wouldn't say it here...
'Of course there's more pressure on him, but I think he's also in a place that he can really handle it. So I don't think that will change anything at all. I think the both of us have been able to handle the pressure in the last few years very well.'
Elsewhere, French rider Romain Gregoire clinched the opening stage of the eight-day Tour of Switzerland on June 15, thanks to a late solo breakaway.
He was ahead of second-placed countryman Kevin Vauquelin by 20sec, with Dutch rider Bart Lemmen in third. AFP
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Straits Times
France's long wait for a Tour de France winner goes on, but Bernard Thevenet sees hope
Find out what's new on ST website and app. (From left) France's Minister for Sports, Youth, and Community Life Marie Barsacq watches as former French cyclist Bernard Thevenet recieves an award from general director of the Tour de France Christian Prudhomme on July 27. PARIS – After a superb Tour de France raced entirely on French soil, there is plenty for the host nation to cheer about but the absence of a French winner remains a national sore point. It is 40 years since Bernard Hinault won the last of his five Tours de France. Since then, the host nation has waited – not always patiently – for a successor. But 2025 has produced some cheer for the home fans as they look ahead. It is true that none of the five French teams on the roster landed either a stage win or a place on the final podium but Valentin Paret-Peintre produced some heroics to grab a memorable stage win on Mont Ventoux. On top of that, Kevin Vauquelin and Jordan Jegat both finished in the top 10, while Vauquelin and Lenny Martinez, just 22, wore the white and polka dot jerseys – for best under-26 rider and best climber respectively – for spells. It does not hide the lack of a winner but it was enough to make former French champion Bernard Thevenet guardedly positive about future home ambitions. Thevenet, who won the world's greatest bicycle race in 1975 and 1977, told AFP during the 2025 contest – won superbly by the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar for the fourth time – that the emerging riders were about to join the top table. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after LTA tests Asia Gunman kills 5 security guards near Bangkok's Chatuchak market before taking own life Singapore HPB looking for vaping, smoking counselling services for up to 175 secondary school students Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose Singapore Police statements by doctor in fake vaccine case involving Iris Koh allowed in court: Judge Singapore Woman allegedly linked to case involving pre-schooler's sexual assault given stern warning Singapore Singapore lion dance troupe retains title at Genting World championship Singapore SMRT reports unauthorised post on its X account, says investigation under way 'We have good riders in France, obviously not as superb as Tadej Pogacar, but this happens,' Thevenet said. 'We really thought Lenny Martinez might get the king of the mountains jersey, he gave us a bit of hope. But he couldn't take it all the way,' the 77-year-old added, a day after Pogacar took it off the French youngster. He also spoke of his joy at Paret-Peintre winning on Mont Ventoux. 'It was great to see him emerge like that, how he pulled that win off. He did well,' said Thevenet. Paret-Peintre himself said he had learned a winning mentality by joining a Belgian team. 'Belgium is more about classics than Grand Tours, so I learned this do-or-die attitude and it made the difference,' he said. Thevenet cautioned, however, that the young French riders on the Tour in 2025 will not be the ones who deliver France from its 40-year wait for a winner. 'The new generation are not on the same level as Romain Bardet or Thibaut Pinot,' he said of two recently retired climbers, who had the misfortune to be riding at the same time as four-time winner Chris Froome. 'And It will be a while before we get a win or someone on the podium,' he said. Thevenet, however, has seen two riders who he believes may be the ones to end the French famine. 'Paul Seixas is 18, he isn't here on the Tour but he will be. And within five years he'll be on the podium,' he said. 'There's also a great up-and-coming sprinter, Paul Magnier, and you can see him winning stages when he rides the Tour.' While Hinault's victory in 1985 was the last time France had a Tour winner, La Vie Claire were the last French team to win when American rider Greg LeMond secured his first title in 1986 – with his teammate Hinault in second. After 112 editions of the world's greatest bike race, France has garnered 36 overall wins from 21 cyclists, and remain top of the heap in that respect. Thevenet said French teams have a problem with financing, taxes and other reasons and cannot compete directly with Pogacar's state-funded UAE Team Emirates. But French outfit Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale have attracted a new partnership with a shipping company, which will give them a far bigger budget. 'This should level the playing field a bit,' said Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme. Thevenet's great French hope Seixas is on Decathlon's books and they are priming themselves for a tilt at the top. 'Our goal is to enter the top five and then the top three worldwide and to win the Tour de France by 2030,' said team boss Dominique Serieys. AFP
CNA
21 hours ago
- CNA
Pogacar wary of burnout despite Tour triumph, shuns talk of chasing Merckx
PARIS :Although Tadej Pogacar appears on the verge of emulating cycling great Eddy Merckx, the Slovenian says he is in no rush to chase history, warning that the risk of burnout looms large in one of the most mentally and physically demanding sports. The 26-year-old sealed his fourth Tour de France title on Sunday after three weeks of dominance, but admitted fatigue crept in during the final days. 'We were comfortably in the yellow, but yeah, I was a bit tired in the last week, to be honest,' Pogacar told a press conference, adding that for now he wanted to enjoy the moment in Paris rather than dissect mistakes. While his achievements have already placed him among the all-time greats, Pogacar said cycling's relentless calendar and obsession with training create a dangerous cycle that can leave riders mentally and physically drained. "Burnouts happen in sports, in a lot of sports, mental burnout, physical burnout. We train a lot. Cyclists are sometimes too obsessed with training, and everybody wants to train more and more and more," he explained. The world champion warned that overtraining combined with constant racing demands can trap riders in a cycle of fatigue that rarely allows time for recovery. 'You see some riders have fatigue too early in the season and then the team needs you to race, race, race. In the end, you just keep going into this circle and you never recover," the UAE Emirates-XRG rider said. "Then you come to October and you're like, finally a break. And then in December, you're trying to do it all over again." For Pogacar, that risk is why he refuses to set lofty targets such as joining Merckx and Miguel Indurain with five Tour titles. 'Obviously it's not the goal to win five tours. Right now, I have no clear goals. Maybe the world championships this year and (the Tour of) Lombardy, but for now I just enjoy the moment and will think about the next goals quite soon,' he said. Pogacar also credited rival Jonas Vingegaard for pushing him to higher levels, calling their five-year duel a privilege. 'We just push each other to the next level,' he said. It is the first time that two riders finish first and second in five consecutive Tours, Vingegaard having beaten Pogacar in 2022 and 2023 while the Slovenian edged his rival out this year, in 2021 and 2024. After three gruelling weeks, Pogacar savoured the relaxed final stage in Paris. 'Today was pure racing … and I enjoyed it quite a bit,' he said with a smile.
Straits Times
21 hours ago
- Straits Times
Pogacar wary of burnout despite Tour triumph, shuns talk of chasing Merckx
Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 21 - Mantes-la-Ville to Paris - Paris, France - July 27, 2025 UAE Team Emirates XRG's Tadej Pogacar walks onto the podium while wearing the yellow jersey after winning the Tour de France REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier PARIS - Although Tadej Pogacar appears on the verge of emulating cycling great Eddy Merckx, the Slovenian says he is in no rush to chase history, warning that the risk of burnout looms large in one of the most mentally and physically demanding sports. The 26-year-old sealed his fourth Tour de France title on Sunday after three weeks of dominance, but admitted fatigue crept in during the final days. 'We were comfortably in the yellow, but yeah, I was a bit tired in the last week, to be honest,' Pogacar told a press conference, adding that for now he wanted to enjoy the moment in Paris rather than dissect mistakes. While his achievements have already placed him among the all-time greats, Pogacar said cycling's relentless calendar and obsession with training create a dangerous cycle that can leave riders mentally and physically drained. "Burnouts happen in sports, in a lot of sports, mental burnout, physical burnout. We train a lot. Cyclists are sometimes too obsessed with training, and everybody wants to train more and more and more," he explained. The world champion warned that overtraining combined with constant racing demands can trap riders in a cycle of fatigue that rarely allows time for recovery. 'You see some riders have fatigue too early in the season and then the team needs you to race, race, race. In the end, you just keep going into this circle and you never recover," the UAE Emirates-XRG rider said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Workers used nylon rope to rescue driver of car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole Asia Singapore-only car washes will get business licences revoked, says Johor govt World Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel opens aid routes Sport Arsenal beat Newcastle in five-goal thriller to bring Singapore Festival of Football to a close Singapore Benchmark barrier: Six of her homeschooled kids had to retake the PSLE Asia S'porean trainee doctor in Melbourne arrested for allegedly filming colleagues in toilets since 2021 "Then you come to October and you're like, finally a break. And then in December, you're trying to do it all over again." For Pogacar, that risk is why he refuses to set lofty targets such as joining Merckx and Miguel Indurain with five Tour titles. 'Obviously it's not the goal to win five tours. Right now, I have no clear goals. Maybe the world championships this year and (the Tour of) Lombardy, but for now I just enjoy the moment and will think about the next goals quite soon,' he said. Pogacar also credited rival Jonas Vingegaard for pushing him to higher levels, calling their five-year duel a privilege. 'We just push each other to the next level,' he said. It is the first time that two riders finish first and second in five consecutive Tours, Vingegaard having beaten Pogacar in 2022 and 2023 while the Slovenian edged his rival out this year, in 2021 and 2024. After three gruelling weeks, Pogacar savoured the relaxed final stage in Paris. 'Today was pure racing … and I enjoyed it quite a bit,' he said with a smile. REUTERS
