"It's a good preparation for the Tour de France" - Carlos Rodriguez reflects on challenging Dauphine

Carlos Rodríguez’s 2025 Criterium du Dauphiné ended quietly, capping off what has so far been a subdued season for the INEOS Grenadiers rider. The form and spark he showed at the 2023 Tour de France, as well as in the early part of 2024 at races like Itzulia and Romandie, now feel distant. In recent months, the Spaniard has struggled to find his rhythm, both in terms of sensations on the bike and results.

Tipped to lead INEOS at the upcoming 2025 Tour de France, Rodríguez finished ninth overall in the Dauphiné. But the result masked a lack of presence at the sharp end of the race. Unlike Enric Mas, who launched attacks on the final day, Rodríguez never truly featured in the battle with the top contenders. He was consistent, but never threatening, a performance that raises more questions than it answers with the Tour just around the corner.

In a team press release, Rodríguez admitted that it had not been a great race although he has gained some confidence for the Tour which starts next month.

"It wasn't my best race, but it's pretty good preparation for the Tour de France, and that's what matters most. I'm happy to have survived every day, fighting to get a good position overall. I'm very grateful to my teammates because they believed in me and did a great job to support me. Of course I wanted to be higher in the overall standings, but it is what it is. I gave my best and that's the most I can ask for."

This season has been a step back for Carlos Rodríguez. He was sixth at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, withdrew from the UAE Tour on Stage 7 without ever making an impact, placed 33rd at Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and managed sixth at the Tour de Romandie while trying to defend his title. His ninth-place finish at the Dauphiné, while solid on paper, was again far from convincing.

It’s a stark contrast to his lead in to last year’s Tour de France. In 2024, Rodríguez arrived off the back of a second place in Itzulia, victory in Romandie, and fourth in the Dauphiné. He went on to finish seventh overall in the Tour, a result that hinted at a promising future. Now, the question is whether he can rediscover that trajectory, or whether INEOS will enter the Tour without a clear GC threat.