Tadej Pogacar Dominates Stage 7 of Criterium du Dauphine
In a stunning display of cycling prowess, Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates claimed his third stage win of this year’s Criterium du Dauphine, extending his overall lead heading into the eighth and final stage. The Slovenian cyclist launched a decisive attack 11 kilometres from the finish at the Valmeinier 1800 summit, maintaining a margin of around 20 seconds on rival Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike to the finish.
According to reports from TNT Sports, Pogacar’s winning margin was reduced to 14 seconds on the stage, with Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe finishing third, 1’21" behind the winner. The stage, which covered a distance of 131.6 kilometres and featured 4,815 vertical metres of elevation, including three HC category climbs, proved to be a gruelling test for the cyclists.
The decisive blow was struck when Pogacar attacked on the final climb, with Vingegaard unable to match his pace. As TNT Sports reported, "Pavel Sivako got back to the reduced peloton to provide support for Pogacar and rose the pace before Pogacar attacked, with Bardet caught." Romain Bardet, riding in his final race as a professional, had been the lone leader heading into the final climb, but was eventually caught.
The victory extends Pogacar’s overall lead, with the Slovenian cyclist now holding a 1’01" advantage over Vingegaard. Lipowitz is 2’21" back in third place. In addition to his overall lead, Pogacar also took the green jersey from Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck and leads the king of the mountains’ competition.
As noted by TNT Sports, the stage featured a large breakaway of 15 riders, which was kept close by a reduced bunch. Visma-Lease a Bike isolated Pogacar on the Col de la Croix de Fer, leaving him without any UAE Team Emirates team-mates and support. However, Pogacar’s superior performance allowed him to overcome this disadvantage and secure the win.
The Criterium du Dauphine is a prestigious cycling event, and Pogacar’s dominant performance has solidified his position as a favourite for the overall win. As reported by TNT Sports, Pogacar’s performance has been "peerless," with the Slovenian cyclist demonstrating his exceptional skill and endurance.
The final stage of the Criterium du Dauphine takes place on Sunday, with Pogacar looking to consolidate his overall lead and secure the win. As TNT Sports noted, "Nobody can live with Pogacar" – a sentiment that has been echoed throughout the competition.
