Jonathan Milan surges to stage win in Critérium du Dauphiné and snatches lead from Pogacar

The Italian sprinter Jonathan Milan surged away from the pack to win the second stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné in Issoire and take the overall lead from Tadej Pogacar.

Milan (Lidl-Trek) had to battle to keep up on a hilly 204.6km run through central France from Prémilhat. When the pack hit the home straight, he rocketed away from his rivals to collect a 10-second victory bonus and the yellow jersey.

“That was really tough,” said Milan. “I was dropped at one point and I was really on the limit, but I have to say thanks to my teammates because they brought me back and guided me until the last metres.”

Britain’s Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious) was second and the Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) third. Pogacar and his main rivals for overall victory, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel, rolled home safely in the main pack just behind Milan.

UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Pogacar, who collected a 10-second bonus on Sunday, has the same overall time as Milan, but braked hard in the final metres to surrender places and hand the Italian the tie-break edge and the daily media responsibilities that go with the yellow jersey.

Tadej Pogacar will not be wearing yellow for the third stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné but remains in an excellent overall position. Photograph: Stefano Cavasino/IPA Sport/ipa-agency.net/Shutterstock

The eight-day race, with four hilly stages, a time trial and three final days in the Alps, has attracted an A-list roster of 154 riders from 22 teams. It offers Tour de France contenders a chance to hone their form and gain a psychological edge before the main event starts on 5 July.

Pogacar, who won his third Tour de France last year ending Vingegaard’s two-year reign, had struck the first blow the previous day, edging the Dane to take the opening stage and the overall lead.

On Monday, support riders for Pogacar and Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a Bike spent much of the stage jostling, sometimes angrily, for position at the front of the pack.

The stage was briefly animated when the local favourite Romain Bardet (Picnic PostNL), riding the final race of his 14-year professional career, launched an attack on the last small climb just before a corner where his fanclub was waiting with a huge banner. The 34-year-old was caught with 10km to go as Milan’s team took control.

The Frenchman will have another chance on Tuesday when stage three starts from his home town of Brioude for a hilly 207.2km run to Charantonnay.