The 2025 Criterium du Dauphine continued Monday with stage 2 – a 204.6-kilometer stage on a route from Premilhat to Issoire, south of Clermont-Ferrand. The cyclists would again be exposed to rolling hills terrain and the route would feature six categorized climbs, though five of them were minor Category 3 and 4 challenges. The Category 2 climb Cote du Chateau de Buron climb was situated after 140 kilometers of racing and its steeper sections could possibly be used as a launchpad for late attacks.

Most of the general classification favorites in the 2025 Criterium du Dauphine peloton were using the race as preparation for this year’s Tour de France in July. Riders such as Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep), Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike), Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) had already proven their worth in the finale of yesterday’s stage 1.

Today’s stage 2 of Criterium du Dauphine was expected by many to conclude in a mass sprint finale, where the fastest sprinters such as Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) could possibly deliver the necessary power to the pedals to blast across the finish line as stage winner.

Stage 2 started in Premilhat, southwest of Montlucon, and it did not take long before riders initiated the first attacking efforts. Though Paul Ourselin (Cofidis Team) had been in yesterday’s long breakaway, he still had a lust for more adventures and broke away from the main peloton. Other riders attempted to join him, but their attacking hopes proved short-lived, so Ourselin continued solo – possibly hoping other riders would make the leap to join him later in the stage.

Ourselin’s lead had increased to approximately two minutes after twenty kilometers of racing under sunny skies with temperatures near 22 degrees Celsius. Lidl-Trek was controlling the pace in the main peloton while protecting its sprinter, Jonathan Milan. They were supported by riders from UAE Team Emirates.

While other riders proved unwilling to engage in attacks and breakaway attempts, Ourselin increased his time advantage to more than five minutes with 150 kilometers left. Two category 4 climbs had been climbed and two Category 3 climbs awaited in the next section of the stage. Ourselin was leading the best climber classification and was securing additional mountain points while proudly wearing the classification leader jersey in today’s stage 2.

Ourselin’s advantage was gradually reduced in the mid-stage section as an intermediate sprint was contested in the main peloton and the riders approached the category 2 climb of the stage. 

Romain Combaud (Team Picnic-PostNL), Christopher Juul-Jensen (Jayco-Alula), and Victor Guernalec (Arkea B & B Hotels) attacked from the main peloton and jumped to frontman Ourselin. The newly formed front quartet had an advantage of almost one minute with 75 kilometers remaining. Alpecin-Deceuninck, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, and Lidl-Trek riders were leading the main peloton, and the speed appeared very relaxed.

Christopher Juul-Hensen and Victor Guernalec left Combaud and Ourselin behind on Cote du Chateau de Buron, which was the only Category 2 climb featured on the stage 2 route. Guernalec accelerated from Juul-Jensen near the summit to secure the maximum points for the best climber classification.

Though riders from Visma-Lease a Bike were leading the main peloton up the Category 2 climb, it did not cause major changes to the race situation, and the front duo of Guernalec and Juul-Jensen had a one-minute lead over the main peloton after the climb, while Ourselin and Combaud got swallowed by the peloton. Meanwhile, Lidl-Trek riders were supporting their sprinter Jonathan Milan, who found it difficult to keep up with the rest on the climb.

The front duo got caught with 45 kilometers left to the finish line. Several teams were contributing to a hard pace at the front of the peloton on the wide roads of the Auvergne region in central France. Bahrain-Victorious, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Visma-Lease a Bike, and UAE Team Emirates were present. Meanwhile, the hot weather and the speed were causing problems for riders at the back, including Jonathan Milan and Magnus Cort.

UAE Team Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike riders were competing for front positions in the peloton when 22 kilometers remained. It appeared obvious, the two teams were not very fond of each other and each hoping to put a stick in the wheel of the hopes and strategy of the other.

Cote de Nonette (Category 4) was climbed at a fast pace and Soudal-QuickStep riders had joined the front together with Movistar. 

Romain Bardet was racing on home soil and used the opportunity to attack on the climb with 18.5-kilometers to the finish line. The Picnic-PostNL rider was riding his final race before ending his professional career. The Frenchman had lately upgraded his competencies by studying sports marketing.

Bardet remained solo in front with thirteen kilometers left and had formed a lead of twenty seconds. He was reeled in by the chasing peloton three kilometers later.

Riders from UAE Team Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike led the peloton into the final three kilometers.

Lidl-Trek approached the front while setting up their sprint train for Jonathan Milan. Decathlon-AG2R and Bahrain-Victorious joined the front.

Lidl-Trek led the peloton into the final kilometer. Milan launched his sprint closely followed by Fred Wright.

Jonathan Milan proved the fastest man on the day and crossed the finish line as winner of stage 2 of Criterium du Dauphine. Fred Wright finished second for Bahrain-Victorious, while Mathieu van der Poel completed the stage podium for Alpecin-Deceuninck.

“It was really tough. Our goal was to keep building up the condition and yesterday I suffered a lot. Today I suffered again, and I was on my limit, so I have to thank my teammates for bringing me back,” stage winner Jonathan Milan told Roadcycling.com after the stage. 

“If I had been dropped alone it would have been super hard, but my teammates stuck with me and gave me motivation. We knew we needed to be in front when we entered the final corner and it is pretty nice to win in this race, I have to say,” Milan continued.

Jonathan Milan is the new leader of the general classification. Milan leads the general classification ahead of Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel, Fred Wright, and Jonas Vingegaard. Enric Mas is 24th, Matteo Jorgenson is 25th, Magnus Sheffield 27th, while Remco Evenepoel is 31st before tomorrow’s stage 3.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete coverage from the 2025 Criterium du Dauphine.