Countdown begins: Pogacar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel set for Criterium du Dauphine showdown

The Giro d’Italia is still going on, but for some cycling fans, attention is already turning to France. The Tour de France begins on July 5th, so incredibly it is already just around the corner this year. But first up, we’re just 10 days away from the Criterium du Dauphine.

Yes, the 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné is set to commence on June 8th, and this year the field is absolutely stacked. This year's edition promises to be a thrilling prelude to the Tour de France, featuring a stellar lineup: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel, the trio who captivated audiences during last year's Tour. In fact, this will be the first time the trio have faced off since that epic Tour last year.

Although Mathieu van der Poel was slated to make his Dauphiné debut, a recent mountain bike crash may sideline him from this year's race. Still, we can expect plenty of action as we get a perfect Tour de France prequel in June.

As we anticipate the upcoming competition, let's take a look back at some of the best moments in the history of the Dauphine.

In 2024, Primoz Roglic looked to be riding away to a comfortable Dauphine title with his new BORA team. Of course, as we all know by now, Roglic loves some last-minute drama, and he needed to push to the absolute limit to secure his second Dauphiné title in three years.

Entering the final stage with a 62-second lead over Matteo Jorgenson, Roglic faced came under enormous pressure as Jorgenson, alongside Carlos Rodríguez and Derek Gee, launched a formidable attack on the day's concluding climb. Rodríguez claimed the stage victory, but Roglic managed to limit his losses, finishing 48 seconds behind and clinching the overall win by a mere eight seconds.

It was Roglic’s first GC win with his new team, in a year when he also went on to win the Vuelta.

The 2022 Dauphiné marked a turning point within Team Jumbo-Visma. While Primoz Roglic secured the overall victory, it was Jonas Vingegaard who made a significant statement by winning the final stage atop the Plateau de Solaison, as the duo crossed the line together.

This performance foreshadowed Vingegaard's ascendancy, as he went on to first usurp Roglic at Visma, and then emphatically crack Tadej Pogacar on the Col du Granon to win the yellow jersey. Whilst we had seen Vingegaard show signs of world class potential at the 2021 Tour, this was when we really saw he was at least at, maybe even above, Roglic’s level.

The 2004 edition will be remembered for the individual time trial up Mont Ventoux. Iban Mayo delivered one of the best performances of his career, distancing himself from rivals Tyler Hamilton and Lance Armstrong. Mayo's victory on the "Giant of Provence" was a defining moment, as he ultimately secured the overall title, with Hamilton finishing second (36 seconds behind) and Armstrong fourth (2 minutes behind). Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but let’s remember that Mont Ventoux returns to the Tour this July…

In 2010, Janez Brajkovič of Team RadioShack executed a strategic race to outmanoeuvre favorite Alberto Contador. Brajkovič seized the leader's jersey after winning the stage 4 time trial and defended it through the mountainous stages, including a decisive battle on Alpe d'Huez. Even though Contador won two stages, he could not shake off Brajkovic, who won by 1 minute 41 seconds.

Chris Froome's 2013 Dauphiné victory truly foreshadowed his empathic Tour de France win that year, where he would race out of Bradley Wiggins’ shadow at last.

Displaying exceptional ability both in the mountains and time trials, Froome secured the yellow jersey early and defended it against formidable opponents, including Alberto Contador. His performance solidified his status as a Grand Tour contender and set the stage for his four following yellow jersey wins in July.