Tadej Pogacar showcased his exceptional sprinting prowess in the opening stage of the Criterium du Dauphine, claiming victory in a nail-biting finish. The Slovenian cyclist, representing UAE Team Emirates-XRG, completed the challenging 196km route from Domerat to Montlucon in 4 hours 40 minutes and 2 seconds.

Pogacar's decisive move came in the final 25 meters, where he accelerated past Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands to secure the win. Jonas Vingegaard from Team Visma-Lease a Bike finished closely behind in second place, while Van der Poel took third. Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Jake Stewart from Great Britain rounded out the top five.

"I switched my focus around 2 kilometers to go to prepare for the sprint, and it worked," Pogacar remarked after the race. "I knew Van der Poel was the fastest in this group, but after a finish like this, you cannot count anyone out."

This victory earned Pogacar 10 bonus seconds, with Vingegaard and Van der Poel receiving 6 and 4 seconds, respectively. The Criterium du Dauphine, an eight-stage race, serves as a crucial preparation event for the Tour de France, which begins on July 5.

The second stage, scheduled for Monday, will cover 204.6km from Premilhat to Issoire, promising more intense competition as riders vie for position ahead of the Tour de France.

Stage One Results:

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) - 4:40:12
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) - same time
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned/Alpecin-Deceuninck)
4. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal-Quick-Step)
5. Jake Stewart (GB/Israel-Premier Tech)
6. Hugo Page (Fra/Intermarche - Wanty)
7. Bastien Tronchon (Fra/Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale)
8. Clement Venturini (Fra/Arkea-B&B Hotels)
9. Benjamin Thomas (Fra/Cofidis)
10. Paul Penhoet (Fra/Groupama-FDJ)

This thrilling start to the Criterium du Dauphine sets the stage for an exciting week of cycling, with Pogacar emerging as a strong contender for the overall title.