Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) sprints to the win on stage 1(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Fast-Step) regarded focussed on his return to racing(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) was in a extra jovial temper(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
A primary have a look at Lidl-Trek’s new bike at first(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Sean Quinn’s (EF Schooling-Simple Put up) new nationwide champion’s jersey hidden below his gilet(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Three time winner of the Dauphiné Chris Froome (Israel – Premier Tech) hopes {that a} good efficiency right here will get him chosen for the Tour de France(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Fast-Step) at first on his comeback from damage(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Donovan (Q36.5) and Le Berre (Arkea) tackle an early climb(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) is certainly one of many trying to tune up their type forward of the Tour de France(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Sam Bennett (Decathlon-AG2R) hoped to proceed his successful type(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
The peloton had been nicely managed all through the stage forward of the anticipated dash(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
UAE Group Emirate defend their chief Juan Ayuso(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
The breakaway energy on via the mist(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Decathlon-AG2R did a lot of the chasing through the stage(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Primoz Roglic was nicely protected by his Bora-Hansgrohe team-mates all through the stage(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Groups mob the entrance because the race heads for a dash in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Nils Politt (UAE Group Emirates) on the entrance of a late breakaway try(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Uno X Mobility had been robust within the closing kilometres as they regarded to arrange Magnus Cort who finally completed tenth(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
There was no match ultimately for Pedersen and his Lidl-Trek crew(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) received the bunch dash on stage 1 of the Critérium du Dauphiné to don the primary chief’s jersey of the race.
The Dane led from the entrance within the quick end, holding off Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and Hugo Web page (Intermarché-Wanty) on the finish of the 172.5-kilometre stage beginning and ending in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule.
Pedersen profited from the work of teammate Alex Kirsch, who stored the tempo excessive heading into the ultimate kilometre, Carlos Verona, Ryan Gibbons and Toms Skujins, who put him within the good place to win the stage.
“Carlos did tremendous good there pulling – it’s not simple even with two guys who’re going fairly quick to start with,” Pedersen stated. “Alex was controlling this lead-out to perfection and, in fact, Toms and Ryan – additionally they want the facility to ship it – however Toms is doing an unbelievable job. The identical with Alex, and Ryan additionally delivered good as we speak so lead out to perfection I’d say.”
Pedersen will put on the Maillot Jaune heading into stage 2 however his lead of the Dauphiné will most certainly finish on the summit end on the Col de la Loge.
“I feel it is too arduous within the closing,” Pedersen stated of the approaching stage. “Now with being within the lead of the race, I do not suppose anybody will let me in a break as nicely. So I feel tomorrow we’ll management to respect the jersey after which we even have one GC man right here [Tao Geoghegan Hart] now we have to handle them, and that is my job till stage 5.”
The win was Pedersen’s first within the Dauphiné in his second participation within the race and comes after an prolonged break, along with his final race being Paris-Roubaix in April.
“I had fun off and an excellent preparation for this and the Tour,” Pedersen stated to CyclingPro.web earlier than the stage.
“It is a totally different strategy than final 12 months. I used to be staying residence and coaching arduous to be prepared – no coaching camps or something, simply frolicked with my spouse and focussed on coaching.”
