Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel set to clash across mountainous week - everything you need to know about the Critérium du Dauphiné

Critérium du Dauphiné
Sunday 8 - Sunday 15 June
France
1199.6km

There's a yellow jersey, it's a stage race in France, it's run by ASO... but no it isn't the Tour de France. It's the race's baby brother, the Critérium du Dauphiné, which acts as one of the key warmup races for next month's big event.

It's an exciting prospect itself, however, shorn of the Tour's significance. There's no flat stage to speak of, simply four hilly affairs, three pure mountain days, and an individual time trial. The cast is also top tier, with Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel all present.

Stage table

Five things to look out for at the Critérium du Dauphiné

Big three return

For the first time since last year’s Tour de France, Tadej Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard will race each other at this year’s Dauphiné, in a full dress rehearsal for this year’s Tour. With that race just over a month away, this week in France will point towards the form we will see in July. While Pogačar has been his usual winning self in 2025, winning seven times, Vingegaard and Evenepoel have had their seasons affected by injury.

Farewell, Romain

After 13 and a half seasons as a professional cyclist, Romain Bardet will retire after the Critérium du Dauphiné, his eighth time at the race. Fittingly, stage three begins in Brioude, the 34-year-old’s hometown, where there will surely be a carnival atmosphere as Bardet sets off. Maybe, maybe, there could even be a valedictory stage win.

Alpine triptych

The slopes of Combloux, Valmeinier 1800 and the Plateau du Mont-Cenis on three back-to-back stages will decide the race, with stage seven to Valmeinier 1800 in particular one to watch. That day, there are three hors categorie climbs: the Col de la Madeleine (24.6km at 6.2%), the Col de la Croix de Fer (22.4km at 6.9%), and the Montée de Valmeinier (16.5km at 6.7%).

Cheese time

As is tradition, the Dauphiné will reach its crescendo in the Haute-Savoie, the home of some of the cheesiest dishes in the world. This is the land of the tartiflette, fondue, and raclette. Not that the riders will be eating anything this heavy, but some of the staff might very well do. Reblochon, Tome, Beaufort, and Abondance are all from the region. One to ponder during the 17.7km time trial on stage four.

Lost to time

Like many things in cycling, the Dauphiné has a convoluted past. The modern race is named for a region that no longer exists, and gave its name to the crown prince of France when the country still had such things. It actually takes its name from a local newspaper, the Dauphiné Libéré, published in Grenoble. These days, it’s run by the Tour’s organisers, ASO.

Focus on: Col du Mont Cenis

The name of the climb apparently comes from mont des cendres - the mountain of ashes - which comes from a forest fire. The pass lies between the Cottian and Graian Alps, on the border between Italy and France. It comes close to the end of stage eight, and is 9.6km at 6.9%, so if there is still a race to be won, the moves will happen here. The Tour de France has been up it five times previously, but not since 1999.

Where can I watch the Critérium du Dauphiné?

It is on TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland, accessible via a TV package or a Discovery+ subscription. In previous years, highlights have been on ITV4, so do check your television schedule.

Last year's Critérium du Dauphiné podium

1. Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
2. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike
3. Derek Gee (Can) Israel-Premier Tech

Riders to watch at the Critérium du Dauphiné

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) ****

Who else could win the race but Tadej Pogačar? Given everything we know and his 2025 so far, on paper there is only one winner of the Critérium du Dauphiné. However, anything can happen on the road, and it will be fascinating to see the Slovenian back stage racing in Europe for the first time this year.

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) ****

A slow start to 2025 for the Belgian wonderkid came about after he was hit with a car door by a Belgian postal worked in December, but he has won twice, at Brabantse Pijl and the Tour de Romandie. The Dauphiné will be a big test for his fitness and how well he matches up against his GC rivals. Expect him to star in the time trial on stage four.

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) ***

Even more than Evenepoel, Vingegaard’s form is completely unknown. Visma-Lease a Bike have made encouraging noises, but he hasn’t raced since abandoning Paris-Nice in March. The Dane has been training at altitude in the Sierra Nevada, having recovered from concussion. He will enjoy returning to Combloux, the scene of his famous TT triumph in 2023.

Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) ****

The Dauphiné is a funny one for a sprinter like Jonathan Milan. There are no pure sprint days, with the first three stages all hilly affairs, with multiple classified climbs, including some close to the finish. However, Milan can hang in there, and showed at Gent-Wevelgem that he can still sprint after a hard day’s racing.

Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) ***

Fourth last year at the Critérium du Dauphiné, Rodríguez has had a quiet 2025 to date, finishing sixth at Valenciana and at the Tour de Romandie, but he is thought to be Ineos’ main man for the Tour de France. A week-long stage race will tell us much about the young Spaniard’s form ahead of the big race.