Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) all but secured the overall title in this year’s Critérium du Dauphiné, after the Slovenian claimed stage 7 today, crossing the line just ahead of Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Leaase a bike), while Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) rounded out the podium.
Roglič was well-guided by his Bora-Hansgrohe team throughout today’s 155.3km stage, allowing Marc Soler (UAE-Emirates) to take over the virtual lead before the German squad reined in the Spanish rider with 2 kilometers to go.
After attacking along the day’s penultimate climb with 40km remaining, Soler initially looked poised for victory, later building up a lead of more than five minutes. However, Bora-Hansgrohe began its chase in earnest along the lead-up to the final climb, ultimately reeling in Soler on the brutal slopes.
Race Highlights
The stage kicked off to a fast start, which saw several attempts involving former stage winners like Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) or Magnus Cort (Uno-X) or KOM leader Mathis Le Berre (Arkea) while led Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal-Quick Step) was forced to call it quits. In the first category Col des Saisies, Soler, Davide Formolo (Movistar), Lorenzo Fortunato (Astana), Nicolas Prudhomme (Decathlon-AG2R) and Darren Rafferty (EF Education-Easypost) broke clear.
Not long after, the quintet was joined by Kevin Geniets (Groupama-FDJ), Warren Barguil (DSM), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Koen Bouwman (Visma-Lease a bike) at the top of Col des Saisies, while Dorian Godon (Decathlon-Ag2R) linked up on the descent.
Soler goes solo
As several more riders, including Neilson Powless (EF Education) and Cristian Rodriguez (Arkea), also called it quits, the peloton was 3:00 behind on the road to Megève while KOM leader Le Berre, Mathijs Paasschens (Lotto Dstny) and Mark Donovan (Q36.5) were less than a minute adrift. Only Donovan managed to make it back on the front in the descent of Cote d’Arâches (km 92), on which Fortunato collected 10 more points. In Cote de la Ramaz, as Soler upped the tempo, Donovan and Martin were dropped by the leading group. Eight kilometers from the summit, Soler decided to go for it, first with Barguil, then on his own. The Spaniard, 3:45 adrift overall at the start, reached the top of La Ramaz with a lead of 1:30 over his former companions Fortunato, Barguil, Rafferty, Bouwman, Formolo and Prudhomme and 5:30 over the peloton.
Soler caught
Soler held a two-minute lead over his nearest rivals at the foot of the last climb and while the battle for the stage win was over, the GC battle started in the final ascent. With 7 km to go, white jersey holder Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) was dropped by the peloton, along with Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) or Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), who lost ground earlier.
In the last five kilometers, the peloton reined in all the escapees, except Soler, who retained a two-minute lead. But the 2018 Paris-Nice winner faltered and was finally caught with 2 km to go by Roglič, Alekzander Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jorgenson, Ciccone, Oier Lazkano and Javier Romo (Movistar), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain), Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick Step), Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech), Laurens De Plus and Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers).
In the final stretch, Spanish champion Lazkano was the first to attack but he was immediately countered by Jorgenson and Roglič, who overtook the American to clinch his second stage victory in two days and strengthen his overall lead on the eve of the final stage to Plateau des Glieres.
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