After a rollercoaster Giro d’Italia where unpredictability reigned supreme, the WorldTour’s big guns return to the fore. This year’s Critérium du Dauphiné marks the long-awaited clash of cycling’s elite: Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel. Three titans, one battleground — and the final test before the Tour de France.
While May saw them sidelined for training and recovery, June will witness their first direct encounter of the season. With the Tour looming in July, the Dauphiné offers a preview of what’s to come — and the stakes are unmistakably high.
The Big Three: Form Guide & Expectations
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Pogačar’s campaign to retain his Tour crown begins now. After a stellar spring—four wins in seven one-day races, podiums in all—he arrives with form and ambition. His dominant UAE Tour win showcased his stage race prowess, but he’s never won the Dauphiné. A triumph here would seal his supremacy heading into July.
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Last year’s absence due to his Itzulia crash cast doubt over his Tour readiness. Not so in 2025. Though sidelined since a Paris-Nice concussion, insiders say his Sierra Nevada block has been transformative. Vingegaard’s past wins here and his tactical nous make him a potent threat to Pogačar’s ambitions.
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step)
Injuries delayed his season start, but Evenepoel has started to show flashes of brilliance. His Tour de Romandie time trial win was textbook Remco, but the mountains remain a concern. With high-altitude training under his belt, stage four’s time trial gives him a prime opportunity to shape the GC — if he can avoid the late-week fade of 2024.
Rising Stars and GC Wildcards
Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious)
Martinez, the 21-year-old French sensation, has impressed with consistency and flair. A podium at Romandie and a strong Paris-Nice signal that his Dauphiné debut could become a breakout moment. The home crowd will be watching eagerly as he builds toward his Tour de France debut.
Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Second at last year’s Dauphiné and double Paris-Nice winner, Jorgenson thrives on French roads. With Vingegaard back, he may share leadership duties—but his form suggests he could push for yellow himself, giving Visma a tactical edge.
GC Contenders: Depth in the Field
Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) returns after last year’s fourth-place finish, though his recent form isn’t as sharp. In contrast, Enric Mas (Movistar) seems rejuvenated with podiums at Itzulia and Catalunya—but the Dauphiné hasn’t historically suited him.
Mattias Skjelmose leads Lidl-Trek’s post-Giro push, while Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) is gaining momentum fast after standout spring results. With victories and top finishes across multiple terrains, he’s not to be underestimated.
Stage Hunters: Who Can Disrupt the GC?
The first three stages are built for chaos—rolling terrain, aggressive puncheurs, and limited pure sprint opportunities.
Axel Laurence and Ben Healy are primed for long-range attacks, especially after their thrilling Itzulia duel. Max Van Gils appears to be peaking again, while Jhonathan Narvaez could sneak a stage if freed from Pogačar duties.
Jonathan Milan stands out in any sprint finish, and Lidl-Trek will be eager to deliver him. Uno-X Mobility counters with Søren Wærenskjold and Magnus Cort, promising animated finales.
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale deploys Benoît Cosnefroy and Aurelian Paret-Peintre for hilly stage wins, with Felix Gall doubling as a GC outsider. Santiago Buitrago is another double threat, with the potential to disrupt GC hierarchies.
TipsGG Cycling Desk Prediction
In a duel of dominance, we see Jonas Vingegaard edging out Tadej Pogačar in a tightly contested race — yes, an underdog bet by our editorial team here. It’s hard to predict what form exactly Jonas is having after a 21-day high-alltitude camp in Spain, but we believe that a psychological factor of having a “revenge” for the last year might play a key moment for Jonas here.
Stay tuned to TipsGG for daily updates, stage recaps, and exclusive analysis throughout the Critérium du Dauphiné 2025.