The Dauphiné, a full-scale rehearsal before the Tour de France (June 21-July 29), was supposed to offer a formidable battle between these three men, with only Tadej Pogacar, busy winning the Tour of Italy this weekend, missing. ‘call. It will ultimately be a simple duel because of the frightening fall which sent the three champions to the mat on April 4 during the Tour of the Basque Country.
If Roglic, victim of burns and scratches, recovered fairly quickly, Evenepoel and Vingegaard suffered multiple fractures. The Belgian, injured in a shoulder blade and a collarbone, recovered more quickly and will compete in his second race in France this year after Paris-Nice, where he clearly dominated Roglic (2nd behind Matteo Jorgenson, compared to 10th).
Vingegaard, who in addition to fractures of the clavicle and several ribs also suffered from a pneumothorax and a pulmonary contusion, does not appear on the entry list for the Dauphiné, which he won last year . The Dane, double winner of the Tour de France, only resumed cycling on May 7. He was seen this week training in Mallorca but his presence at the Tour de France is not at all guaranteed at this time.
In his absence, the Visma-Lease a bike team will bet in Dauphiné on the Americans Sepp Kuss, winner of the last Vuelta, and Matteo Jorgenson, crowned at Paris-Nice in March. The Spaniards Juan Ayuso and Carlos Rodriguez, the Briton Tao Geoghegan Hart, the French David Gaudu and Guillaume Martin, the Colombian Santiago Buitrago and the Austrian Felix Gall are among the other riders aiming for the general classification.
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