Milan rules Issoire
June 9 th 2025 - 17:33
When it comes down to raw power, Jonathan Milan is a special beast. Despite being dropped over the climbs of the day, the Italian sprinter was perfectly supported by his Lidl-Trek team to battle for victory in Issoire, at the end of stage 2 of the 77th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné, where nobody could come close to him. In his maiden participation, Milan already takes his first victory in the race, and his sixth of a season that sees him rise as one of the best sprinters in the world, if not the best. He also takes the yellow and white jersey from Tadej Pogacar (41st). On his childhood roads, Romain Bardet (Picnic PostNL) attacked in the finale, on the eve of the start from Brioude, his hometown.
The sun is out to accompany the 153-man peloton setting off from Prémilhat at midday, with 204.6 km of racing ahead of them. The uphill start inspires attackers but the sprinters don’t want to let too big a group get away. After 8 kilometres of battle, Paul Ourselin (Cofidis) gets away, alone.
The leader of the KOM standings opens a gap as high as 6’30’’ (km 25) and makes the most of this opportunity to rack up 6 points atop the Côte de la Font Nanaud (cat. 4, km 33.4), Côte de Saint-Priest-des-Champs (cat. 4, km 50.5), Côte des Rivauds (cat. 3, km 61.1) and Côte de Saint Jacques d’Ambur (cat. 3, km 71.8) to all but secure the polka-dot jersey for another day.
3 + 1 = 4 attackers
Behind Ourselin, several riders try to counter-attack but Jonathan Milan’s Lidl-Trek and Mathieu Van der Poel’s Alpecin-Deceuninck join forces to control the day. Atop the Côte de Saint Jacques d’Ambur, the gap is still up to 5’05’’. It drops down to 1’15’’ at the intermediate sprint in Olby (km 102), halfway through the stage.
Three counter-attackers set off to join Ourselin a handful of kilometres further: Romain Combaud (Picnic PostNL), Victor Guernalec (Arkea-B&B Hotels) and Chris Juul-Jensen (Jayco AlUla). The peloton only trail by 20’’ at km 106 but the leaders push the gap back up to 1’35’’ with 70 km to go.
Saving Private Milan
Onto the main ascent of the day, the cat.2 Côte du Château de Buron (3.3km at 6.9%), Juul Jensen ups the ante. Guernalec goes first over the top while Ourselin and Combaud are caught by the bunch, trailing by 55’’.
The road keeps rising and Milan is dropped with 55 kilometres to go. After a 10-km pursuit with four Lidl-Trek teammates, the Italian powerhouse gets back to the bunch as they enter the final 42.9km circuit.
Bardet’s special move
On his childhood roads, Romain Bardet (Picnic PostNL) attacks up the Côte de Nonette (cat.4) and opens a gap of 8’’ at the summit (17.9 km to go). The Frenchman pushes his lead to 20’’ but he’s caught just inside the last 10 kilometres.
Lidl-Trek took the helm of the bunch inside the last 3 kilometres to go to lead out Milan. Mathieu Van der Poel followed the Italian’s wheel, but nobody could match Milan’s power when he put the hammer down. Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Van der Poel follow him in the stage’s top-3. With Tadej Pogacar coming 41st, Milan also takes the yellow and blue jersey.
