Professional cyclist Wout van Aert clinched his second victory of the day at the 74th Critérium du Dauphiné and extended his lead in the overall standings.
Professional cyclist Wout van Aert clinched his second victory of the day at the 74th Critérium du Dauphiné and extended his lead in the overall standings.
After 162.3 kilometers from Thizy-les-Bourgs to Chaintré, the 27-year-old Belgian held his own in the sprint against his compatriot Jordi Meeus and the Briton Ethan Hayter.
On the two previous days, van Aert had to be satisfied with second place after his opening victory. Just before the finish line in Chaintré, the field was able to catch four breakaways, which had broken away almost 30 kilometers after the start.
Extended lead in overall standings
In the overall standings, van Aert is 63 seconds ahead of Italy’s Mattia Cattaneo and 66 seconds ahead of his Slovenian Jumbo Visma teammate Primoz Roglic.
The strong WorldTour race through south-east France lasts until June 12th. The Dauphiné tour traditionally serves many riders as a finishing touch for the Tour de France, which starts this year on July 1 in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.