| JACK HAIG TAKES TOP 5 IN GC AT CRITÉRIUM DU DAUPHINÉ |
Jack Haig put in an impressive display at this year’s Dauphiné claiming his third consecutive fifth place finish in the GC. Following a demanding Giro d’Italia, Haig entered the Dauphiné with determination, finding comfort in the warmer weather conditions of the Alps.
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With the GC battle starting on stage 4, Haig delivered a strong Individual Time Trial (ITT) which moved him up 17 places in the overall. With growing confidence following the ITT, Haig then showcased his ability to follow the top contenders on the final two mountainous stages, finishing less than a minute away from a podium placement. Only Jonas Vingegard of Jumbo-Visma, the reigning Tour de France champion and eventual winner of the race, was in a league of his own.
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Crossing the finish atop the brutal La Bastille, Haig reflected on his performance: “I’m really satisfied with another fifth place. Today was actually really hard, especially on the Col du Granier, where the pace set there was super hard, and I actually really suffered on the steeper climbs. After that I was able to get back into the rhythm and I knew Martinez was dropped, so I just needed to mark Martin on the final climb, and I tried to keep a controlled effort to make sure I didn’t blow. Because I knew if you blew up on this, even in the last 100m you can lose a lot of time.”
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Despite race leader Mikel Landa not having the best result in the GC, finishing 22nd, he is confident he remains on track in his preparation for the Tour. The last time Landa did the Dauphine ahead of the Tour he finished 18th in GC and went on to place fourth in the overall: “Before coming I knew I wasn’t in the best of shape, but I really needed this race to get myself into the best shape ahead of the Tour de France. It was a hard week, I suffered quite a lot, but overall, I think I’ve done a good job, and it will set me up for Tour. In the coming days, while I recover, I will feel it and so I’m happy. I’m also happy for Jack. He did a great job, and the team were motivated to support him, so overall a good week for the team.”
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| (Photo copyright @Sprintcycling @TeamBahrainVictorious) |
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