Tadej Pogacar (right) defeated Jonas Vingegaard. © APA/afp / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT

Pogacar sets a precedent: Sprint victory against Vingegaard

Cycling star Tadej Pogacar has won the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné.

June 08, 2025

From: dpa

The world champion from Slovenia won the sprint after 196 kilometers from Domérat to Montlucon ahead of Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard. The 26-year-old also made his mark in the first clash between the favorites for the Tour de France, which begins in Lille on July 5. Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel finished third.

A few kilometers from the finish, Pogacar and Vingegaard, the Tour de France winners of recent years, along with van der Poel, fourth-place Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), and Santiago Buitrago (Colombia), broke away from the peloton. "Two kilometers from the finish, I prepared for the sprint, and it worked," said Pogacar.

Due to the time bonus, the Slovenian goes into the second stage on Monday over 205 kilometers from Prémilhat to Issoire as leader of the overall standings with a four-second lead over the Dane.