{"id":198722,"date":"2025-06-09T08:23:09","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T08:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=198722"},"modified":"2025-06-09T08:23:09","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T08:23:09","slug":"pogacar-wins-surprise-sprint-in-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2025\/06\/09\/pogacar-wins-surprise-sprint-in-style\/","title":{"rendered":"Poga\u010dar Wins Surprise Sprint in Style: “I Was All Prepared to Come Back to the Bus”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tadej Poga\u010dar did what no one \u2014 including himself \u2014 expected: he won a bunch sprint. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider launched his Criterium du Dauphin\u00e9 campaign in jaw-dropping style, outsprinting Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) at the end of Stage 1 to snatch the yellow jersey and set the tone for an electric eight-stage race.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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In a chaotic finale more suited to the peloton\u2019s fastest men, Poga\u010dar defied convention \u2014 and his own plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was not [expecting it],\u201d he admitted after the finish. \u201cI was all prepared to come back to the bus pretty fast after the finish, to take a shower in the bus, take a comfortable seat and enjoy the rest of the day. But I don’t mind being here as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Slovenian followed a late-race move sparked by Vingegaard atop the C\u00f4te de Buffon. When the peloton hesitated, a high-octane breakaway formed, with Van der Poel and Poga\u010dar hot on Vingegaard\u2019s wheel. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal\u2013Quick-Step) bridged the gap, creating a heavyweight lead group.<\/p>\n

“I followed the moves on the steep part of the climb, and then Visma were clearly going for the stage win,\u201d said Poga\u010dar. \u201cThey were trying, with everybody, to attack from the top. And that one was painful. And fortunately, I had good legs and I covered all the attacks. And then, even Jonas for the last one, for the cherry on the top, he attacked.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the five-rider group powered under the flamme rouge, Van der Poel made the first move, testing both his sprint and his recovering wrist. But Poga\u010dar \u2014 typically a mountain goat rather than a greyhound \u2014 rounded him to take the line.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Crite\u0301rium Du Dauphine (@criteriumdudauphine)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n