June 9/19 10:53 am - Criterium du Dauphine: Stage 1

Posted by Editoress on 06/9/19
 

A consistent winner at the Critérium du Dauphiné, Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) claimed his fifth stage win since 2010 as he outsprinted Belgians Philippe Gilbert (Deceuninck-Quick Step) and Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) in Jussac where very few sprinters arrived in the front group with the GC contenders.

Six riders in the lead
154 took the start of stage 1 in the 71st Critérium du Dauphiné in Aurillac. Following a very animated beginning of the race, six riders took off at km 10: Oliver Naesen (AG2R-La Mondiale), Magnus Cort (Astana), Niklas Eg (Trek-Segafredo), Julien Vermote (Dimension Data), Fabien Doubey (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Casper Pedersen (Sunweb). Their advantage of 3’20’’ at the foot of the Puy Mary, the first hill of the race (10.6km, first category), was down to 2m40s at the top (km 34) where Pedersen passed first ahead of Cort. Pedersen also crested the Côte de Besse (cat. 4, km 68) and the Côte de St-Cernin (cat. 3, km 81) in pole position.

Bjorg Lambrecht impressive in the last climb
Vermote was first to get dropped from the breakaway group in the first time up the Côte de Roquenatou where Pedersen secured the first polka dot jersey. Since the very beginning of the action, it was BORA-hansgrohe leading the pack, mainly with Cesare Benedetti, the winner of stage 13 in the Giro d’Italia last month, in first position. Deceunick-Quick Step took over with 25km to go and reduced the gap to 1m15s. In the second ascent to Roquenatou, Eg got dropped from the front group. Zdenek Stybar put the hammer down with Julian Alaphilippe on his wheel but it was Bjorg Lambrecht (Lotto-Soudal) who went clear off the peloton while only Naesen and Cort remained in the lead towards the top of the hill. Lambrecht crested in first position while Gregor Mühlberger (BORA-hansgrohe) went in between the leading trio and the main bunch led by Mitchelton-Scott after the last climb.

Boasson Hagen overtakes Gilbert
Bahrain-Merida was the second team chasing. It was all together again with just 600 metres to go. Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) looked very well positioned in the 60-man group but Alaphilippe sped up to lead Philippe Gilbert out. However, Edvald Boasson Hagen still had enough left to accelerate and get his fifth stage victory at the Critérium du Dauphiné since he made his debut in the event in 2010. The first one was won on the circuit of the 1980 world championship in Sallanches on the last day of the race. His last stage win at the Dauphiné was in 2016 in Belley. This is the third victory of the Norwegian this year after stages at the Vuelta Communidad Valenciana and the Tour of Norway.

Top Canadian was Michael Woods (EF Education First) in 31st at the same time as the winner.

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