"We are not the favorite tomorrow" - Visma DS predicts other riders will shine in the Dauphiné time trial

Criterium du Dauphiné stage 3 was a hard one to read with profile probably a bit too difficult for pure sprinters, yet not hard enough to have GC favourites involved in the action. In such conditions, it commonly means a breakaway day - and on Tuesday we had just that with Ivan Romeo taking his first WorldTour victory.

For Visma | Lease a Bike, Tuesday was a perfect day to save some matches for the upcoming time trial. "It was a tough day, with high temperatures. A strong leading group formed and ultimately stayed ahead. That's never quite ideal of course, but the situation in the general classification is still fine," sports director Grischa Niermann says in a press communication.

Where the favourites saved the strengths today, tomorrow will be a whole different test for everyone. While major differences are unlikely to be made in this 17-kilometer time trial, all men who aim for Tour de France victory next month will want to do well there. Jonas Vingegaard, whose iconic Combloux time trial performance at the 2023 Tour still resonates within the cycling world, will be no exception.

Niermann looks ahead to that day, noting that another man in form - Matteo Jorgenson could pleasantly surprise on Wednesday: "We have two good time trialists in the team with Jonas and Matteo, but we are not the favorite tomorrow. I hope we ride a strong time trial and then we will see what the baseline is towards the days that follow."