Critérium du Dauphiné 2024: Rodriguez wins nail-biter, Roglic barely holds on to yellow

foto: Cor VosMatteo Jorgenson almost turns the Critérium du Dauphiné upside down on the final day. Yellow jersey Primoz Roglic drops inside the last 5 kilometres, and the American battles it out with Carlos Rodriguez for the stage win. The latter takes the spoils, while Jorgenson falls 8 seconds short. Roglic finishes sixth to win the GC in a nail-biter of a finale. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 8th stage 2024 Critérium du Dauphiné

1. Carlos Rodriguez (spa)
2. Matteo Jorgenson (usa) s.t.
3. Derek Gee (can) + 0.15
4. Laurens De Plus (bel) + 0.35
5. Santiago Buitrago (col) s.t.
6. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 0.48
7. Giulio Ciccone (ita) s.t.
8. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 0.58
9. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) s.t.
10. Mikel Landa (spa) + 1.10

Final GC 2024 Critérium du Dauphiné

1. Primoz Roglic (slo)
2. Matteo Jorgenson (usa) + 0.08
3. Derek Gee (can) + 0.36
4. Carlos Rodriguez (spa) + 1.00
5. Laurens De Plus (bel) + 2.04
6. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 2.06
7. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 2.25
8. Giulio Ciccone (ita) + 2.54
9. Oier Lazkano (spa) .t.
10. Mikel Landa (spa) + 4.13

Race report
The battle rages on the Col de la Forclaz-de-Montmin, and eventually, Bart Lemmen, Marc Soler, Nicolas Prodhomme, Sean Quinn, and Lorenzo Fortunato manage to reach the summit in first position. David Gaudu, Guillaume Martin, Tim Wellens, Eduardo Sepúlveda, Omar Fraile, and Bruno Armirail track them down in the descent to make it eleven at the front.

Fortunato moves into the KOM lead on the Forclaz-de-Montmin before he extends it on the Col des Esserieux.

The eleven reach a maximum lead of 4 minutes before it falls to 2 minutes in the Salève climb. Fortunato and Prodhomme can’t follow the pace and are dropped from the breakaway.

The gap is down to under 1 minute at the base of the finish climb. Giulio Ciccone attacks early from the GC group and he gobbles up the attackers before he himself is caught by Laurens De Plus, Carlos Rodriguez, Derek Gee, Matteo Jorgenson, Santiago Buitrago, and leader Primoz Roglic. Still 5 kilometres remaining at that point.

Moments later, Rodriguez strikes, and only Gee and Jorgenson follow his move. Roglic is struggling at the back, and Jorgenson senses an opportunity. The runner-up in the GC gives it his all, causing Gee to lose contact inside the last 1.5 kilometres.

Roglic is doing everything to limit the damage, while Jorgenson at the front is doing just the opposite. Second by second, the American extends his lead with a Spanish shadow in tow. In the final meters, Rodriguez takes the lead and secures the stage win. Jorgenson falls short by 8 seconds on the last day to snatch the yellow jersey from Roglic, ending up in second place.

So, it’s a GC win for the Slovenian after all, while Gee finishes third in both the stage and the GC.

Another interesting read: route 8th stage 2024 Critérium du Dauphiné.