Criterium du Dauphine 2024 - Stage 8: Thriller by the second - Roglic saves overall victory with a wafer-thin lead
Sebastian Lindner
· 09.06.2024
In the end it was a damn close call, because as strong as Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) with his two stage wins on the previous days in the high mountains, that's how much he had to fight on the last day. He was only eight seconds ahead of Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike), the winner of Paris-Nice. Jorgenson was together with Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers), who later won the stage, went on the offensive about four kilometres before the finish.
While other riders followed, Roglic was unable to keep up with the increased pace. His gap to Jorgenson and Rodriguez, who completed the final kilometre as the leading duo, gradually grew. The American put his prospects of winning the day on the back burner for the battle for the yellow jersey, did most of the work and ultimately left the day's victory to Rodriguez without a fight. The fact that it wasn't enough was probably due to the fact that the last two kilometres were flat and even led downhill at times.
Primoz Roglic: "It's crazy that I won the Dauphine"
In the end, the overall winner didn't care that it was still very close at the end. "It's pretty crazy that I won the Dauphine after everything that happened before," said Roglic on the Eurosport microphone. "For us as a team, this victory is very important. I had to suffer a lot today, like the last three days in total. The victory definitely gives me confidence for the Tour de France. Winning the Dauphine is one thing, the Tour is something completely different. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying the moment for now."
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step) once again had to let go early in the final climb, but ultimately found his own pace and lost another ten seconds to Roglic. The Slovenian finished sixth, 48 seconds behind Rodriguez. Evenepoel had to slip back another place in the overall standings, ultimately finishing seventh. One place behind Roglic's noble helper Aleksandr Vlasov, who crossed the finish line at the same time as Evenepoel, lost contact with the leading group just as early and thus also two places in the final classification.
Criterium du Dauphine 2024: Only 96 riders make it to the finish line
Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) once again proved surprisingly strong. The Canadian only lost contact with Rodriguez and Jorgenson one and a half kilometres from the end and thus confidently defended his podium position in the overall standings. The mountain jersey ultimately went to Lorenzo Fortunato (Astana Qazqastan), who was in the breakaway group on the final stage with Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) had fought a close battle for the bib.
Only 96 riders finished the tour. Once again, six pros, including Sepp Kuss (Visma | Lease a Bike), did not start and nine others dropped out en route.
Criterium du Dauphine 2024: Results - the top 10 of stage 8
- Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) 4:18:02
- Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike)+0:00
- Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) +0:15
- Laurens De Plus (Ineos Grenadiers) +0:35
- Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) +0:35
- Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) +0:48
- Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) +0:48
- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step) +0:58
- Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) +0:58
- Mikel Landa (Soudal - Quick Step) +1:10
The final standings in the overall standings
- Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) 25:35:40
- Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) +0:08
- Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) +0:36
- Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) +1:00
- Laurens De Plus (Ineos Grenadiers) +2:04
- Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) +2:06
- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step) +2:25
- Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) +2:54
- Oier Lazkano (Movistar) +2:54
- Mikel Landa (Soudal - Quick Step) +4:13
This is how the 8th stage of the Criterium du Dauphine went
The last 161 kilometres of the tour were initially dominated by the mountain jersey. Soler and Fortunato, who were both also part of the breakaway group in the Votrag and collected a lot of points, were once again part of the breakaway. After 14 kilometres, the Col de la Forclaz-de-Montmin was the first category 1 climb early in the race. Fortunato, who wore the mountain jersey on behalf of Roglic, won there and extended his lead over Soler.
On the descent, a total of eleven riders formed the group of the day. Among them were David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates), birthday boy Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) and Omar Fraile (Ineos Grenadiers). Fortunato also secured the two points on the Col des Esserieux (3rd category) after 32 kilometres. The maximum lead of just over three minutes was reached around 90 kilometres before the finish.
On the way to the second category 1 climb of the day, Le Seleve, Fortunato completely ran out of steam. The Italian, who had also previously ridden the Giro d'Italia, was caught by the peloton again before the summit. But even there he was unable to keep up. Soler secured the mountain classification and thus postponed the decision for the jersey until the finish.
Roglic has to let go after Rodriguez attack
After the Seleve and an uncategorised counter-climb, the breakaway riders still had two minutes for the last 30 kilometres on the final descent of the race. Twelve kilometres later, it was back uphill again - with an 80-second lead for the remaining nine breakaway riders. The final climb up to the Plateau des Glieres is nine and a half kilometres long. There was only half a minute left because Lidl-Trek had really stepped on the gas, after Ineos Grenadiers in particular had previously set the pace.
Just eight kilometres before the end, Giulio Ciccone (Lidl Trek) went on the offensive and reeled in the last remaining breakaway riders. It was too fast for Evenepoel six kilometres before the end. Half a kilometre later, Ciccone was also caught again. Shortly afterwards, Carlos Rodgriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) launched an attack.
Rodriguez was joined at the front by his team-mate Laurens de Plus. Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious) were there - Roglic and his noble helper Aleksandr Vlasov were not.
Jorgenson lets Rodriguez win
Three and a half kilometres from the end, Roglic, who was riding with Ciccone, had to fend off an attack from Evenepoel himself. Before that, de Plus and Buitrago could no longer ride at the front. A kilometre and a half before the finish, it also became too fast for Gee. At the front, Jorgenson put everything on one card, 500 metres before the finish he had a 45-second lead over Roglic. He let Rodriguez take the stage win - then the clock ticked.
But it wasn't fast enough. Roglic managed to finish eight seconds ahead of Jorgenson. Evenepoel and Vlasov crossed the finish line just ten seconds behind him, both dropping back in the overall standings.
