Lenny Martinez’s stunning victory on the final stage caps a dramatic week in the Alps, while Tadej Pogačar secures his first Critérium du Dauphiné title ahead of the Tour de France
VAL-CENIS, France — The thin mountain air at 2,000 meters seemed to suit Lenny Martinez just fine. With eight kilometers of climbing still ahead of him, the 21-year-old Frenchman dropped Enric Mas of Spain like a stone and never looked back, soloing to victory on the punishing final stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné as cycling’s biggest stars watched helplessly from behind.
It was a moment of pure audacity from a rider who had entered the day with modest expectations. Martinez, riding for Bahrain Victorious, had struggled in recent stages and wasn’t feeling particularly confident. But sometimes in cycling, as in life, the legs surprise you when it matters most.
“I wasn’t expecting much today,” Martinez said after his triumph on the slopes of Col de Mont-Cenis, still catching his breath from the effort. “Yesterday, I was really bad, and I hadn’t been feeling great the days before either. So I wasn’t expecting much today. But then I finally felt good at the start, so I decided to go for it.”
His victory — the third World Tour win of his young career — provided the perfect exclamation point to a week that saw Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia methodically dismantle his rivals to claim his first Critérium du Dauphiné title, a traditional dress rehearsal for the Tour de France that begins in just over two weeks.
The Battle Unfolds
The stage began with 135 riders rolling out from Val-d’Arc, including Romain Bardet, who was honored with a guard of honour as he began his final day as a professional cyclist. But ceremony quickly gave way to combat as the race exploded into action from the opening kilometers.

As has become his trademark, Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck fired the first shots, attacking over the category-3 Côte d’Aiton just 4.7 kilometers into the stage. The Dutch superstar’s initial move was neutralized, but his relentless pressure eventually cracked the peloton open, allowing a star-studded 12-man breakaway to form at kilometer 14.
The composition of the break was telling: alongside Martinez and van der Poel rode Max Van Gils (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Sepp Kuss (Team Visma-Lease a Bike), Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal Quick-Step), Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), Enric Mas and Ivan Romeo (both Movistar Team), and Alexey Lutsenko (Israel-Premier Tech).

With four minutes of breathing room by kilometer 36, the break seemed destined for glory. But cycling rarely rewards complacency. Behind them, Uno-X Mobility began a methodical chase to protect Tobias Johannessen’s fifth place overall from the dangerous Mas. The gap hemorrhaged time — down to 2:30 by the summit of Col de Beaune at kilometer 66.7.
Van der Poel’s Gambit
The race’s narrative shifted dramatically when van der Poel, never one to sit idle, launched another explosive attack before the intermediate sprint in Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne. The former world champion’s acceleration was devastating, instantly creating a 1:10 gap as he crested the Côte d’Aussois alone at kilometer 101.

For a tantalizing moment, it appeared the Dutchman might solo to victory, his powerful pedal strokes eating up the kilometers toward the final climb. Behind him, Ivan Romeo of Movistar Team worked desperately to organize the chase, the Spanish climber understanding that his teammate Mas’s overall ambitions hung in the balance.
But van der Poel’s heroic effort came undone just before the base of the Col de Mont-Cenis, the day’s decisive climb. The elastic had stretched too far, and cycling’s harsh mathematics caught up with him. He was swept up by his former companions, setting the stage for the day’s real drama.
The Mountain Decides
The Col de Mont-Cenis — 20 kilometers of climbing at an average gradient of 5.1% — has always been a brutally honest judge of form. As the breakaway hit the lower slopes, the attacks came in rapid succession, each one winnowing the group further.

Mas, the experienced Spanish climber, made the first serious move, his acceleration designed to drop everyone except the very strongest. Only Martinez could match him, the young Frenchman’s climbing style appearing effortless as he shadowed the Movistar rider’s every move.

Behind them, chaos reigned. Jonas Vingegaard of Team Visma-Lease a Bike, the two-time Tour de France champion, began his own series of probing attacks in the main field. Only Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates XRG could follow, the two rivals locked in their familiar dance of thrust and parry.

With eight kilometers remaining to the summit, Martinez made his decisive move. It wasn’t a violent acceleration — more a gradual ratcheting up of pace that left Mas grasping at thin air. The Frenchman crested the summit with a 50-second advantage over the Pogačar-Vingegaard duo, who had dispatched the remnants of the breakaway in the final 1.5 kilometers.
A Champion’s Calculation
The five-kilometer descent to the finish in Val-Cenis became a test of nerve and tactical acumen. Martinez, despite his youth, rode with the composure of a veteran, taking calculated risks on the technical descent while maintaining enough of his advantage to secure victory.
Behind him, Pogačar had already accomplished his primary objective — securing his first Critérium du Dauphiné title with his 59-second overall victory margin over Vingegaard. Yet the Slovenian continued to match his Danish rival’s every acceleration, a psychological statement that spoke volumes about their ongoing rivalry.

“At one point, I thought Van der Poel was going to win, then I thought I was going to get caught by the Pogačar-Vingegaard duo a little later,” Martinez reflected afterward. “It would have been a real shame, but it worked out! I was going all out until the last kilometre and it was only at the end that I really believed it was possible to win.”

When Martinez crossed the line 34 seconds ahead of Vingegaard and Pogačar, his arms raised in triumph, it marked not just a stage victory but the announcement of France’s newest climbing sensation.
The Anatomy of a Masterclass
Pogačar’s path to overall victory was anything but straightforward. After losing significant time in an early time trial, the two-time Tour de France champion found himself facing deficits that would have demoralized lesser riders. But the 26-year-old possesses an almost supernatural ability to turn adversity into opportunity.
“There’s a lot of positives from this week and we turned all the negatives into positives, so it’s all good,” Pogačar said with characteristic understatement after securing his 99th professional victory. “It’s been a really amazing week. Once again today, the team did a great job. We managed to defend the jersey and we can go home happy and prepare for the Tour.”
The tactical chess match that unfolded over eight stages showcased why Pogačar is considered the most complete rider of his generation. His climbing prowess was never in doubt, but his ability to limit losses when the terrain didn’t suit him, then strike decisively when it did, demonstrated the calculating intelligence that separates champions from also-rans.
Supporting Cast Excellence
The week also showcased the emerging talent of Florian Lipowitz, the 23-year-old German who claimed third place overall for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. His consistent performance throughout the eight stages marked him as a rider to watch in the upcoming Tour de France.
“I would never have thought I could compete like this in the Criterium du Dauphiné,” Lipowitz admitted. “It’s an incredible week for me and I’m delighted with the result. Three weeks is super hard but now I have more confidence and I’m really looking forward to the Tour de France.”
Perhaps most remarkably, Bruno Armirail of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team secured the King of the Mountains classification despite being, by his own admission, far from the prototypical climber. At over 70 kilograms (154 pounds), Armirail represents the modern evolution of the climbing specialist — tactical intelligence compensating for what might be considered physical disadvantages.
“That’s not bad for a guy who weighs over 70 kilos,” Armirail said with evident satisfaction after claiming the polka-dot jersey. “This morning I was thinking a little bit about the polka dot jersey, but Buitrago was well placed, as were Higuita and Pogacar. Every day I was able to pick up a few points, I went for it, and I guess it worked.”
The Road to July
As the cycling world’s attention now turns to the Tour de France, the Critérium du Dauphiné has served its traditional purpose: sharpening form, testing tactics, and providing psychological markers for the sport’s biggest names.
Pogačar heads to his altitude training camp at Isola 2000 with the confidence that comes from victory, but also with the knowledge that Vingegaard remains dangerous. “Now we go to an altitude camp at Isola 2000,” Pogačar explained. “There’s not much to do ahead of the Tour. I rest a bit, maybe some extra work for the time-trial, and then I’m ready.”
Martinez returns to his team with newfound confidence and the experience of beating the world’s best when it mattered most. His tactical intelligence — remaining patient when van der Poel seemed destined for victory, then timing his attack to perfection on the final climb — suggests a maturity beyond his 21 years.
“I came here for the overall classification: it didn’t work out, but I’ve salvaged the week,” Martinez reflected. “The team told me never to give up, so that’s why I tried again today. Now we can be proud of what we’ve done here with this victory. I hope to win in the Tour too, we’ll see.”
For cycling fans, the storylines emerging from these Alpine roads suggest that the Tour de France may be one of the most compelling in years. The young French climber who surprised everyone may yet have more surprises in store when the racing resumes on cycling’s biggest stage.
In a sport where seeing is believing, Martinez has given fans plenty to see — and reason to believe that France’s next cycling star has already announced himself on the slopes of Val-Cenis.

Stage 8 Results
Rank | Rider | Team | Time | Gap | Bonus |
1 | Lenny Martinez | Bahrain Victorious | 3:34:18 | – | 10″ |
2 | Jonas Vingegaard | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 3:34:52 | +00:34 | 6″ |
3 | Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates XRG | 3:34:52 | +00:34 | 4″ |
4 | Matteo Jorgenson | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 3:34:58 | +00:40 | – |
5 | Remco Evenepoel | Soudal Quick-Step | 3:34:58 | +00:40 | – |
6 | Enric Mas | Movistar Team | 3:35:03 | +00:45 | 1″ |
7 | Florian Lipowitz | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | 3:35:05 | +00:47 | – |
8 | Tobias Johannessen | Uno-X Mobility | 3:35:05 | +00:47 | – |
9 | Ben Healy | EF Education-EasyPost | 3:35:19 | +01:01 | – |
10 | Sepp Kuss | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 3:35:19 | +01:01 | – |

Final General Classification
Rank | Rider | Team | Time | Gap | Bonus |
1 | Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates XRG | 29:19:46 | – | 36″ |
2 | Jonas Vingegaard | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 29:20:45 | +00:59 | 24″ |
3 | Florian Lipowitz | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | 29:22:24 | +02:38 | 8″ |
4 | Remco Evenepoel | Soudal Quick-Step | 29:24:07 | +04:21 | 1″ |
5 | Tobias Johannessen | Uno-X Mobility | 29:25:58 | +06:12 | 2″ |
6 | Matteo Jorgenson | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 29:27:14 | +07:28 | – |
7 | Enric Mas | Movistar Team | 29:27:43 | +07:57 | 1″ |
8 | Paul Seixas | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 29:28:11 | +08:25 | – |
9 | Carlos Rodriguez | Ineos Grenadiers | 29:28:43 | +08:57 | – |
10 | Guillaume Martin Guyonnet | Groupama-FDJ | 29:29:47 | +10:01 | – |

Final Points (maillot vert) Classification
Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
1 | Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates XRG | 79 |
2 | Mathieu van der Poel | Alpecin-Deceuninck | 79 |
3 | Jonas Vingegaard | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 70 |
4 | Remco Evenepoel | Soudal Quick-Step | 55 |
5 | Florian Lipowitz | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | 48 |
6 | Jonathan Milan | Lidl-Trek | 41 |
7 | Axel Laurance | Ineos Grenadiers | 36 |
8 | Louis Barre | Intermarché-Wanty | 33 |
9 | Bastien Tronchon | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 32 |
10 | Alfred Wright | Bahrain Victorious | 32 |

Final KOM (maillot à pois) Classification
Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
1 | Bruno Armirail | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 36 |
2 | Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates XRG | 33 |
3 | Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia | XDS Astana Team | 27 |
4 | Jonas Vingegaard | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 26 |
5 | Lenny Martinez | Bahrain Victorious | 23 |
6 | Guillermo Juan Martinez Huertas | Team Picnic PostNL | 18 |
7 | Romain Bardet | Team Picnic PostNL | 16 |
8 | Florian Lipowitz | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | 15 |
9 | Mathieu van der Poel | Alpecin-Deceuninck | 14 |
10 | Alex Baudin | EF Education-EasyPost | 13 |

Final Young Riders (U26) Classification
Rank | Rider | Team | Time | Gap | Bonus |
1 | Florian Lipowitz | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | 29:22:24 | – | 8″ |
2 | Remco Evenepoel | Soudal Quick-Step | 29:24:07 | +01:43 | 1″ |
3 | Paul Seixas | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 29:28:11 | +05:47 | – |
4 | Carlos Rodriguez | Ineos Grenadiers | 29:28:43 | +06:19 | – |
5 | Ben Tulett | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 29:32:54 | +10:30 | – |
6 | Mathys Rondel | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | 29:36:45 | +14:21 | – |
7 | Lenny Martinez | Bahrain Victorious | 29:58:38 | +36:14 | 10″ |
8 | Louis Barre | Intermarché-Wanty | 30:01:49 | +39:25 | 7″ |
9 | Ben Healy | EF Education-EasyPost | 30:07:37 | +45:13 | – |
10 | Ivan Romeo Abad | Movistar Team | 30:09:01 | +46:37 |
Final Teams Classification
Rank | Team | Time | Gap |
1 | Team Visma-Lease a Bike | 88:16:04 | – |
2 | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 88:55:09 | +39:05 |
3 | Bahrain Victorious | 89:05:25 | +49:21 |
4 | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | 89:07:26 | +51:22 |
5 | UAE Team Emirates XRG | 89:07:50 | +51:46 |
6 | Movistar Team | 89:11:01 | +54:57 |
7 | EF Education-EasyPost | 89:26:58 | +70:54 |
8 | Ineos Grenadiers | 89:32:32 | +76:28 |
9 | Groupama-FDJ | 89:33:33 | +77:29 |
10 | Soudal Quick-Step | 89:45:02 | +88:58 |