Pogacar beats Vingegaard in thrilling Dauphine opener

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Pogacar beats Vingegaard in thrilling Dauphine opener

Tadej Pogacar has beaten Jonas Vingegaard for a statement win in a duel of Tour de France champions in the opening stage of the Criterium du Dauphine.

Pogacar and Vigegaard were part of a super-elite five-strong breakaway on Sunday, which also included Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel and former world champ Mathieu van der Poel, shortly before the end of the 196km run from Domerat to Montlucon.

Van der Poel got the first strike for home and looked set for victory but Slovenian great Pogacar prevailed in a sprint finish, with Danish rival Vingegaard coming home second and the Dutchman third.

“I prepared myself for a sprint two kilometres from the finish and it worked out,” Pogacar said.

Adding bonus seconds, Pogacar now takes a four-second lead over Vingegaard into Monday’s second stage over 205km from Premilhat to Issoire.

The week-long Dauphine is an important tune-up for the Tour which starts on July 5 in Lille.

Pogacar won the Tour in 2020, 2021 and 2024, and Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023.

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