Tadej Pogacar hits hard from the start in the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné

A dress rehearsal was expected, but from the very first stage, we were treated to a great spectacle. For his comeback race after a break following his spring classics campaign, Tadej Pogacar struck hard from the start, winning the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné on Sunday, June 8, in Monluçon (Allier). The first yellow jersey of the ^77th edition of the French stage race, the Slovenian leader of UAE Emirates made his mark in an explosive finale, winning in a sprint ahead of a group of strong riders with whom he had formed a royal breakaway: in order, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel.

With 5.5 km to go, the Danish leader of Visma Lease a Bike, who was also making his comeback since his crash during the Paris-Nice, attacked at the top of the Côte de Buffon, followed by Van der Poel, Pogacar and Colombian Santiago Buitrago. Remco Evenepoel quickly closed in on this small group of cycling stars, who then charged to the finish.

As the peloton threatened to come back in this stage which seemed destined for the sprinters, Mathieu Van der Poel launched the sprint but Tadej Pogacar managed to overtake the Alpecin-Deceuninck off-road rider, to secure a victory which surprised everyone, starting with himself.

"I didn't expect that. Two kilometers from the finish, I started thinking about the sprint, but logically it was for Mathieu [van der Poel], who is the fastest among us," said the world champion. The reigning Tour de France winner claimed his ^96th career victory on Sunday, and already his eighth this season, wearing the rainbow world champion's jersey. "Don't worry, I'll be retiring soon, at the end of my contract," he said, amused. The Slovenian is under contract with the Emirati team until 2030; and at 26, it seems unlikely that he won't extend the adventure beyond that.

For his second participation, only in the Critérium du Dauphiné – after his 4th place in 2020 – Tadej Pogacar will don the yellow jersey on Monday. And just a few weeks before the Tour de France (July 5-27), he will be keen to liven up this dress rehearsal on the French roads against the other big names in the peloton, Vingegaard and Evenepoel at the front, who rarely cross his path outside of major tours. The outcome will come in a week, in the Alps.