"I was really on the limit" - Pogacar and Vingegaard take Mathieu van der Poel over the limit as Dutchman loses Dauphiné stage
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel fractured a bone in the wrist only a few weeks ago but has returned to competition today at the top of his game. However, his explosiveness was not a match to Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard who set out to make the first stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné as hard as possible.
“That climb was more difficult than expected, especially with the wind up there. It continued for quite a long time," van der Poel shared with Sporza in a post-race interview. The Dutchman immediately responded when Vingegaard launched an attack over the last climb of the day, and then collaborated with the group.
Perhaps because he was the strongest sprinter on paper he felt the pressure and spent too much time in the wind. He attacked just outside the final kilometer, and then again launched his sprint first into Montluçon. These ultimately cost him, and he settled for third behind the previous Tour de France winners.
“I am happy that I can ride to the finish line with those riders today. Losing is always a bit of a bummer, but I mainly try to take the positive with me," he admits after missing out on the victory." I was really on the limit. I noticed that I did not recover as well from the efforts as I am used to. I saw the peloton coming, so I had to start from far away. I did not have the legs to hold on, but I am satisfied with this final.”
However in the bigger picture, this is a terrific sign ahead of the Tour de France where he will be hunting stages and a possible stint in the yellow jersey. “Normally my legs recover a little faster. Of course I would have liked to win, but I think I can be satisfied above all. I would have signed for this in advance. I am very happy with what I had in my legs today. I was able to train well, but it is just the toughness that is missing.”
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🌈 EL ESPRINT DEL AÑO 2025 EN #Dauphiné 🌈
— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) June 8, 2025
Tadej Pogacar bate a Jonas Vingegaard y Mathieu van der Poel en un final absolutamente disparatado para abrir el 'mini-Tour' francés
📺 Lo viviste en @Eurosport_ES 2️⃣ y @StreamMaxES #LaCasaDelCiclismo pic.twitter.com/CmzA7g7ajo
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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