Frenchman Valentin Ferron won stage six of the Criterium du Dauphine on Friday as a long range breakaway beat the main contenders to the finish line at Gap. Veteran Pierre Rolland and gritty climber Warren Barguil finished a few seconds off Ferron’s pace to make it a French podium sweep.

“You don’t get many chances like that so you have to take them and that’s what I did,” said the 24-year-old winner, describing it as the greatest win of his career.

Wout van Aert of Jumbo retains the race lead ahead of two days of racing in the high mountains that will both decide the winner and hint at possible contenders for the upcoming Tour de France.

On this 120 mile run from Rives with four categorized climbs along the way, it became clear at the last one, a 5 mile ascent at 4.6 percent, that the escape would beat the peloton home due to a four-minute lead.

Van Aert and the main contenders eventually crossed the Gap finish line just 30 seconds off the pace as Jumbo trio Van Aert, Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard closed it down over the final 6 miles.

Ineos Grenadiers’ Amstel Gold 2022 winner Michal Kwiatkowski pulled out with a sore knee while UEA tyro Juan Ayuso suffered a stomach upset and pulled out while in eighth.

Saturday’s seventh and penultimate stage takes on the fabled climb of the Galibier mountain at 2642m altitude, which is the first of three merciless challenges that may decide the 2022 champion.

Going into the weekend Van Aert leads teammate Roglic by 1:06, with Ineos rider Ethan Hayter at 1:32.

CRITERIUM DU DAUPHINE 2022 STAGE 6 RESULTS

1	Valentin FERRON	TotalEnergies	4:22:17
2	Pierre ROLLAND	B&B Hotels – KTM	0:03
3	Warren BARGUIL	Team Arkéa Samsic	0:03
4	Andrea BAGIOLI	Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team	0:03
5	Geoffrey BOUCHARD	AG2R Citroën Team	0:03
6	Victor LAFAY	Cofidis	0:03
7	Edvald BOASSON HAGEN	TotalEnergies	0:32
8	Dylan GROENEWEGEN	Team BikeExchange – Jayco	0:32
9	Matis LOUVEL	Team Arkéa Samsic	0:32
10	Jordi MEEUS	BORA – hansgrohe	0:32

 

CRITERIUM DU DAUPHINE 2022 STANDINGS

1	Wout VAN AERT	Jumbo-Visma	21:27:20
2	AMttia CATTANEO	Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team	1:03
3	Primoz ROGLIC	Jumbo-Visma	1:06
4	Ethan HAYTER	INEOS Grenadiers	1:32
5	Jonas VINGEGAARD	Jumbo-Visma	1:36
6	Damiano CARUSO	Bahrain – Victorious	1:49
7	Tao GEOGHEGAN HART	INEOS Grenadiers	1:55
8	Matteo JORGENSON	Movistar Team	2:00
9	Ben O’CONNOR	AG2R Citroën Team	2:10
10	Wilco KELDERMAN	BORA – hansgrohe	2:12

 

RBA/AFP Photos: Sprint Cycling Agency