Staff Reporter.
Reigning Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar wrapped up the Criterium du Dauphine on Sunday with a podium finish in Sunday’s final stage.
The UAE Team Emirates rider finished 59 seconds ahead of second-placed Jonas Vingegaard overall after controlling the eighth and final 133-kilometer (83-mile) stage on Sunday from Val-d’Arc to the Plateau du Mont-Cenis.
Lenny Martinez won the final stage in 3 hours, 34 minutes, 18 seconds for Bahrain Victorious. The French rider finished 34 seconds ahead of Vingegaard and Pogačar.
“It’s been a really amazing week,” said Pogacar, who topped the overall standings by 58 seconds for his 99th professional win in stages, races and general classification leads – the most by an active rider.
“Once again today, the team did a great job. We managed to defend the [yellow] jersey and we can go home happy and prepare for the Tour [de France].
“There’s a lot of positives from this week and we turned all the negatives into positives, so it’s all good.
“There’s not much to do ahead of the Tour. I rest a bit, maybe some extra work for the time-trial, and then I’m ready.”
The 26-year-old becomes the third reigning world champion to win the race, after French pair Louison Bobet and Bernard Hinault in 1955 and 1981 respectively.
Criterium du Dauphine stage eight results
1. L Martinez (Fra/Bahrain Victorious) 3hrs 34mins 18secs
2. J Vingegaard (Den/Team Visma-Lease a Bike) +34secs
3. T Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) same time
4. M Jorgenson (USA/Team Visma-Lease a Bike) +40secs
5. R Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal Quick-Step) same time
Final Classification
1 T Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 29hrs 19mins 46secs
2 J Vingegaard (Den/Team Visma-Lease a Bike +59secs
3 F Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +2mins 38secs
4 R Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal Quick-Step +4 mins 21secs
5 T Halland Johannessen (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) +6mins 12mins.