Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) did not wait for the high mountains. On the eve of the Alpine triptych which will close this Critérium du Dauphiné 2023, the last winner of the Tour de France has already taken the yellow jersey by winning the fifth stage between Cormoranche-sur-Saône and Salins-Les-Bains . Starting alone in the last difficulty, the Côte de Thésy (3.7 km at 8.2%), the Dane was 31 seconds ahead of the peloton, led by Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step).
Favorite of this Critérium du Dauphiné, Jonas Vingegaard had already struck a blow yesterday during the time trial, finishing second just 12 seconds behind Mikkel Bjerg. This time, it was his qualities as a climber that allowed him to make the difference. First stalled in the wheel of Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), who had just tried his luck just after taking over the breakaways, the Dane then accelerated to one kilometer from the top of the Côte de Thésy to offer himself some seconds ahead.
Despite the remaining fifteen kilometers, mostly downhill, the new yellow jersey has not been seen by the peloton. About twenty runners played for second place in the sprint. It was finally the Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe who finished second, ahead of Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X) and Clément Champoussin (Arkéa-Samsic).
“I didn’t want to attack, I just wanted to defend my position. But Richard attacked, I wanted to work with him and I was able to outrun him.”said Jonas Vingegaard on arrival, before showing his emotion by paying tribute to the victims of the Annecy tragedy.
Second place for Julian Alaphilippe confirms his good form, three days after winning the second stage. After several months of hardship following numerous falls, the former double world champion proves that he will have to be counted on during the Tour de France, where he will be the leader of his Belgian team. The Frenchman even takes second place in the general classification, 1’23 behind Jonas Vingegaard. A very significant gap all the same before starting the high mountains tomorrow, in the Alps.