Critérium du Dauphiné stage 2 live: will the GC challengers go on the attack again?

2025-06-09T12:17:11.853Z

134 kilometres to go

4:35 the gap

2025-06-09T12:16:15.239Z

The peloton has completed over 1,200 metres of vertical climbing today, by the way, but there are still a further 2,000 or so to come. If this remains a transition stage given its position in the race, then it’s still a lot closer to the frontier with a GC day than a lot of the sprinters’ teams might like.  

2025-06-09T12:09:06.958Z

Still to come on the stage 2 menu…

Km 71.8: Climb: Cat.3 Côte de Saint Jacques Ambur (3.1km at 5.1%)

Km 102: Sprint: Olby

Km 147.1: Climb: Cat.2 Côte de Chateau de Buron (3.3km at 6.9%)

Km 186.7: Climb: Cat.4: Côte de Nonette (1.8km at 5.7%)

Km 204.6: Finish: Issoire

2025-06-09T12:07:04.103Z

Ourselin grabs top points at the summit of the Côte des Rivauds. Three climbs done today, three to go.

2025-06-09T11:59:23.298Z

As he moves towards the foot of the third of the six categorized climbs of the day, the Cat.3 Côte des Rivauds (3.5km at 4.8%), Ourselin’s advantage has dropped to just over four minutes.

2025-06-09T11:50:57.972Z

Talking of which, Ourselin has reached the summit of another Cat 4 climb, Côte de Saint-Priest-des-Champs (1.3km at 5%), and brings his KoM total up to six. The bunch at 5:20.

2025-06-09T11:49:15.009Z

The Critérium du Dauphiné peloton seen from the inside of a tractor, somewhere in south-eastern France. Time for a flurry of of clichés about breakaway Ourselin making hay while the sun shines, ploughing a lone furrow ahead of the peloton, reaping the benefits of his attack to the full…

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-06-09T11:25:04.365Z

168 kilometres to go

For now, the gap between break and bunch is holding steady at 6:15

2025-06-09T11:24:16.183Z

Ourselin conquers the first climb of the day, the Cat.4 Côte de la Font Nanaud (3.5km at 4.6%) and boosts his overall lead in the mountains ranking a little. Meanwhile Lidl-Trek are shutting down any counter-moves behind to try and bridge across to the lone leader.

2025-06-09T11:14:44.798Z

A first shot of stage 2’s lone breakaway, now 6:30 ahead:

2025 Critérium du Dauphiné stage 2: lone breakaway Paul Ourselin in the first hour of racing (Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-06-09T11:11:35.504Z

UAE Team Emirates-XRG, riding for race leader Pogačar, begin tapping out a controlling pace on Ourselin as his advantage caps six minutes.

2025-06-09T10:59:41.898Z

Ourselin’s advantage rises to over four minutes…

2025-06-09T10:52:19.971Z

And Ourselin’s advantage is now up to over three minutes and still rising. Bets on how high it can get before the bunch reacts, anyone?

2025-06-09T10:50:32.209Z

Ourselin’s gap is up to nearly two minutes and rising. Unless somebody reacts soon and tries to bridge across, it’s going to be a long ol’ lonely day out there for the Cofidis racer.

2025-06-09T10:42:19.855Z

196 kilometres to go

Following multiple counter-attacks, Ourselin tries a second solo move, and rapidly picks up over a minute’s lead on the bunch.

2025-06-09T10:32:26.668Z

First attack of the day by Paul Ourselin (Cofidis). The Frenchman was already in a break for 140 kilometres on stage 1, getting the lead in the mountains classification for his pains, and looks to be keen to scoop up some more points today.

2025-06-09T10:27:14.431Z

What’s on the stage 2 menu?

Km 33.4: Climb: Cat.4 Côte de la Font Nanaud (3.5km at 4.6%)

Km 50.5: Climb: Cat.4 Côte de Saint-Priest-des-Champs (1.3km at 5%)

Km 61.5: Climb: Cat.3 Côte des Rivauds (3.5km at 4.8%)

Km 71.8: Climb: Cat.3 Côte de Saint Jacques Ambur (3.1km at 5.1%)

Km 102: Sprint: Olby

Km 147.1: Climb: Cat.2 Côte de Chateau de Buron (3.3km at 6.9%)

Km 186.7: Climb: Cat.4: Côte de Nonette (1.8km at 5.7%)

Km 204.6: Finish: Issoire

2025-06-09T10:25:16.238Z

Weather is a warm 22.1ºC by the way,  it’s dry and there’s a slight crosswind. 

2025-06-09T10:24:10.779Z

And Stage 2 of Critérium du Dauphiné from Prémilhat to Issoire (204.6km) is underway.

2025-06-09T10:23:02.345Z

Here’s a map of today’s course. Basically a long grind south over the foothills of the Massif Central, with a 46 kilometre finishing loop, tackled once. The riders will go through the finish at 42.9 kilometres to go.

2025 Criterium du Dauphiné stage 2: map (Image credit: ASO)

2025-06-09T10:10:07.338Z

And here’s a shot of the man himself in yellow on the startline this morning.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-06-09T10:07:49.445Z

Interesting piece of historical data on the Critérium du Dauphiné official website: Pogačar is the first reigning Road World Champion to win a mass start stage of the Dauphiné since Bernard Hinault back in 1981. Hinault won no less than four stages that year, and the overall, a total which might be beyond even Pogačar’s capabilities. Then again…

2025-06-09T10:02:10.451Z

Riders are now on the neutralised section of the stage. Racing starts in just under 20 minutes.

2025-06-09T09:48:11.924Z

If you missed out on the racing on Sunday, here’s the CN report on how the GC favourites stole a march on the sprinters:

Critérium du Dauphiné: Tadej Pogačar wins stage 1 as Jonas Vingegaard rips up the script

2025-06-09T09:36:05.076Z

Riders are currently gathering at the start for a hefty 204.6 kilometre stage, complete with six classified climbs. There’s also a ten kilometre neutralised section, which they’ll begin at 12 noon before racing proper gets underway at 1220 on the outskirts of Prémilhat.

2025-06-09T09:31:48.884Z

Here’s a reminder of the top 10 on GC after Sunday’s spectacular opening stage, won by Tadej Pogačar (you may have heard of him) after a series of fiery late skirmishes between some of the biggest names on the 2025 Critérium startlist…

(Image credit: FirstCycling)

2025-06-09T09:06:41.439Z

Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 2 of the 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné