Tadej Pogacar has once again demonstrated his unparalleled prowess in the mountains, securing a dominant victory on stage six of the Criterium du Dauphine. The reigning Tour de France and road world champion surged ahead in the French Alps, finishing one minute and one second ahead of his closest rival, Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike.

A Commanding Performance

Pogacar, riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, launched a decisive attack with just seven kilometers remaining in the 126.7km stage to Combloux. His signature move—powering away from competitors while remaining seated—left no doubt about his form as he claimed the yellow jersey.

"We went full gas on the first category climb—the team was super strong, all incredible today," Pogacar shared with TNT Sports. He also revealed a personal motivation for his swift finish: catching the end of his fiancée Urska Zigart's race at the Tour de Suisse. "It was a hot day and hard day, and I wanted to hurry to see the finish of Urska on the Tour de Suisse. I was just in time, so all good."

The Race for the General Classification

With this victory, Pogacar now leads the general classification by 43 seconds over Vingegaard. Remco Evenepoel, once considered a strong contender, fell behind, losing one minute and 50 seconds to Pogacar and slipping to fourth place overall.

The Criterium du Dauphine, held in the south-east region of France, is a traditional warm-up for the Tour de France. Historically, only four of the past ten Dauphine winners have gone on to claim victory in the Tour, making Pogacar's performance all the more significant.

Looking Ahead to Stage Seven

Stage seven promises even more thrilling action, with three hors category climbs in the French Alps leading to Valmeinier. Pogacar’s form suggests he’s ready for the challenge, but as he noted, "We need to hold our horses for the Tour."

Stage Six Results

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) - 21hrs 35mins 8secs
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) - +1min 1sec
3. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) - +1min 22sec

General Classification After Stage Six

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) - 21hrs 35mins 8secs
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) - +43secs
3. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) - +54secs

Pogacar’s performance has set the stage for an exciting Tour de France, where he aims to defend his title and cement his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists of his generation.