Mas, Valverde within top-20 after tough first mountain stage in Dauphiné

Critérium du Dauphiné (st. 2)

Movistar Team duo finishes a minute and a half behind Roglic (TJV) atop Col de Porte, having lost contact only inside final third of grueling final climb.

/ Today’s route

The first big battle between the Critérium du Dauphiné GC contenders was held over a route as short as demanding: just 135km from Vienne to the top of the Col de Porte (HC; nearly 18km at 6.2% avg.), preceded by three other categorized ascents, including the Côte Maillet (Cat-1; 6.2km, 8%) with 36 kilometers remaining. A grueling prelude to the brutal ascents in the weekend’s stages.

/ Weather report

A classic summer day in the Alpes, with maximum temperatures around 33ºC and some crosswinds (not really affecting the race outcome) combined with drops of rain in the section leading up to the Col de Porte.

Oliveira and Rojas look after Mas near the front of the bunch. (c) Photo Gomez Sport

/ Las claves del día

Eight riders took the earliest train to the front ahead of the Jumbo-Visma-led field: Armirail (GFC), Asgreen (DQT), Sütterlin (SUN), O’Connor (NTT), Cousin, Soupe (TDE), Michael Schär (CCC) and Doubey (CWG). Their advantage was never let grow over three-and-a-half minutes.
Alejandro Valverde and Enric Mas’ supporting group completed their job correctly, with Verona covering any need; Oliveira and Rojas leading them out in the approach to the Côte Maillet; and Antonio Pedrero together with them until the last 5km of the Porte climb. All over that final ascent, INS made another display of their signature, impressive group pace, to avoid any attacks and suffocating most of the race contenders.
The two Movistar Team leaders were also left behind by that ending pace, yet lost contact only close to the finish: Valverde did so with 4km remaining, as Mas was dropped with 3km to go. Both -Enric in 17th; Alejandro in 21st- finished just over 1’30” behind Primoz Roglic (TJV), who launched a strong move as the INEOS train’s effort came to its close to take the leader’s jersey.

Another mountain journey coming up on Friday. (c) Photo Gomez Sport

/ Próximos objetivos

Friday’s stage three of this Dauphiné (157km) will feature two huge ascents to be overcome: La Madeleine (HC; 17.3km at 8.3%), one of the most famous, imposing cols in the Alps, and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville (Cat-1; 14.8km, 6%), the second consecutive mountain-top finish this week.

Cover picture (c): Photo Gomez Sport / BettiniPhoto