Magnus Cort Nielsen Beats Roglic in Fog to Take Dauphine Lead
Danish cyclist Magnus Cort Nielsen claimed the race lead on Monday by winning the second stage of the Criterium du Dauphine, which ended at the summit of the Col de la Loge in heavy fog. Cort Nielsen, riding for Uno-X, won the sprint finish, edging out Primoz Roglic.
Cort Nielsen caught Frenchman Bruno Armirail, the last survivor of the breakaway, just 150 meters from the finish line. Armirail had attacked solo at the base of the final climb, Col de la Croix Ladret, distancing himself from his breakaway companions with 8 kilometers to go. Despite holding a 25-second lead with 5 kilometers remaining, poor visibility in the fog contributed to his capture near the finish.
Race leader Mads Pedersen was dropped by the peloton 500 meters from the top of the final hill, while Cort Nielsen took advantage of the peloton’s pace. He crossed the line ahead of Roglic and American Matteo Jorgenson, marking his first victory in Uno-X colors and moving him to the top of the general classification, ahead of fellow Dane Mads Pedersen.
“I didn’t have the best start to the season, I had a tough time, I didn’t get great results,” Cort Nielsen said. “So to win a race as important as the Dauphine is truly fantastic.” He also expressed his joy at donning the yellow leader’s jersey, calling it an unforgettable career memory.
Primoz Roglic, who secured second place, showed strong form after a period of training following his crash at the Tour of the Basque Country in early April. The Bora-Hansgrohe leader expressed his excitement to be competing again.
Other notable participants in the peloton included Belgian Remco Evenepoel and Spaniard Juan Ayuso. The race continues with another hilly 181.7-kilometer stage from Celles-sur-Durolle to Les Estables in south-central France on Tuesday, leading up to the crucial time trial on Wednesday.
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