After a brilliant run of success over the past couple of weeks Jumbo Visma notched two more victories today, this time in France and in Italy.
Wout van Aert took the opening stage of the Critérium du
Dauphiné and the leader’s yellow jersey just four days after winning Milan
Sanremo, which followed a week after his Strade Bianche victory.
His team mate George Bennett took his first one-day race
win, and only the second victory of his pro career, with a brilliant
performance at Gran Piemonte.
Bennett attacked on the final climb about 10km from the
finish and while Gianni Moscon (Team Ineos) was on wheel, the Italian couldn’t
hold the Kiwi rider.
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin Fenix) set out in pursuit
of Bennett after the final climb but could make no inroads.
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However, when the chase group got closer to the lone leader as the finish approached, Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) sprinted in fast and almost caught Bennett on the line, though the Jumbo Visma man survived for a brilliant win.
The double victory day represents more evidence that the
Dutch WorldTour outfit is gaining the upper hand on Team Ineos just weeks away
from the Tour de France.
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Today at the Critérium du Dauphiné was the least hilly of
the five stages in the race this year but after 218.5km of racing into Saint-Christo-en-Jarez the peloton numbered just 56 riders.
After the early breakaway had been caught
and some attacks on the final climb were mopped up, including a big effort from
Rigoberto Uran (EF Pro Cycling), the stage came down to a climbing sprint
between the reduced bunch.
Van Aert’s gear selection and bike
handling on the technical finish, not to mention is incredible form at present,
saw him take the victory.
He went early on the uphill charge for
the line and quickly pulled out a gap of a few lengths on his rivals for stage
victory.
And while Daryl Impey (Mitchelton Scott)
finished very fast and came close to catching him, van Aert had done enough for
another win.
He crossed the line just ahead of Impey
with Egan Bernal (Team Ineos) sneaking in for 3rd place and a time bonus; an
indication Bernal knows it will a battle all the way to beat Jumbo Visma.
Bernal was followed by Alejandro
Valverde (Movistar), Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates), Alexey Lutsenko
(Astana), Sergio Higuita (EF Pro Cycling), Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R La Mondiale),
Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) and
Guillaume Martin (Cofidis); all on the
same time.
Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) and Nicolas Roche (Team
Sunweb) were both in the reduced bunch, in 21st and 35th place.
In the final kilometre Martin looked like he was about to
attack up the right of the group only for the riders at the front to switch
over to his side of the road and block his path.
Tomorrow’s stage is a short and sharp one, at 135km. But
with the finish coming atop the HC Col de Porte – a 17.5km climb at 6.2 per
cent – a hard day out is guaranteed.
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