June 16, 2025— Frenchman Lenny Martinez gave the nation a boost of pride as he won the final stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2025 on June 15, 2025, while Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar wrapped up overall victory in the 77th edition of this highly regarded Tour de France build-up race. The stage 8 breakaway victory at Plateau du Mont-Cenis was the highlight of French cycling, with Martinez’s win greeted throughout Europe as evidence of new talent.
Martinez’s Breakaway Mastery
The 133.3 km stage from Val-d’Arc to the summit at Plateau du Mont-Cenis near the Franco-Italian border saw more than 2,800 meters of climbing, including the daunting Col du Mont-Cenis (9.7 km at 7%). Martinez of Bahrain Victorious attacked early, joining a breakaway group with Mathieu van der Poel. According to Cyclingnews, Martinez left his breakaway companion Enric Mas behind in the last 3 kilometers of the final climb, winning alone with a 1-minute lead over Jonas Vingegaard, who took second on the stage. “I did not feel well all week, but I discovered my punch today,” Martinez said to L’Équipe after his third WorldTour victory.
Pogačar’s Overall Dominance
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) took the overall Critérium du Dauphiné title, 59 seconds ahead of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease A Bike) on the general classification, with Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) third at 2:38, according to procyclingstats.com. Pogačar, who took three stages (1, 6, and 7), secured his advantage with a commanding ride on the queen stage, dropping competitors on the Col de la Madeleine. His win, the first Dauphiné victory of his career, makes him one of the leading favorites for the Tour de France kicking off July 5, 2025, in Lille.
French Cycling’s Bright Future
Martinez’s victory was a bright spot for French supporters, particularly given that the peloton paid tribute to departing veteran Romain Bardet with a guard of honor at the beginning of the stage, as reported on X. The 21-year-old’s home triumph, added to his previous stage victory at the Volta a Catalunya, promises a good future for cycling in France. Supporters of X were jubilant with posts such as “Joie Francaise,” an expression of national pride at witnessing a
youth talent shine during the last stage of the Dauphiné, a race usually dominated by Tour favorites Pogačar and Vingegaard.
Tour de France Implications
The Critérium du Dauphiné over 1,201.9 km in eight stages, is a pivotal Tour de France preparation race. Pogačar’s condition, combined with Vingegaard’s durability, positions them for a highly expected confrontation in July. Martinez’s stage victory gives him confidence as he targets an impressive Tour debut. The race, broadcast on Discovery+ in the UK, highlighted European cycling’s depth of competition.
What’s Next
While the cycling community turns its eyes to the Tour de France, Martinez and Pogačar depart to altitude training, with the latter having set his sights on a third Tour win.
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