VAN AERT RACES TO VICTORY OVER HAYER IN THE OPENNING STAGE OF CRITERIUM DU DAUPHINE.
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) took the leader’s jetsey after the first stage of the Criterum du Dauphine. The Belgian timed his sprin to perfection to come home in front of Ethan Hayer at the finish in Beuchastel on Sunday. Watch the Criterum du Dauphine and other top cycling live on Eurosport and discovery+.
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) timed his sprint to perfection to take the opening stage of the Criterium Du Dauphine.
Jumbo-Visma are using the Dauphine as prep work for the Tour de France, with a number of their star names in the field.
Primoz Roglic will come into play later in the race, but the opening stage into Beauchastel looked tailor made for Van Aert.
It played out to perfection for the Belgium champion, as he got in the wheels inside the final couple of kilometres before pulling out and proving too strong for Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers).
“Looking at the profile, we could see a hard final so I hung on and felt good for the sprint, so really nice,” Van Aert said. “I was quite comfortable on the climbs.
“Still in the sprint guys like Hayer you have to beat them. It was tough to pass him, but happy.
“We have a strong team so we will try and defend and at the weekend hopefully turn it over to Primoz.”
Maxime Bouet (Arkea Samsic), Laurens Huys (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) and Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels – KTM) went away early, but were kept on a leash and left to dangle by the peloton.
They were brought back on the final climb with 30 km to go, at which point Mikkel Honore (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) went on a solo effort, but he was never able to build a telling advantage.
With showers making the road surface slick in patches, Ineos Grenadiers went to the front with the objective of staying safe and setting the stage up for Hayter.
Remi Cavagna (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) went off the front inside the final 2km and opened up n advantage, but he proved a sitting duck for Van Aert who stormed to the line to take the leader’s jersey.
STAGE 1 RESULT:
1 – Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) – 04:37:31
2 – Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers) – + 00
3 – Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) – + 00
4 – Hugo Page (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) – + 00
5 – Edvald Boasson-Hagen (TotalEnergies) – + 00
6 – Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) – + 00
7 – Clement Venturini (AG2R Citroen) – + 00
8 – Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Soudal) – + 00
9 – Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) – + 00
10 – Jannik Steimle (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) – + 00
