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#Dauphiné2023 #TadejPogačar #EddieDunbar #TeamJaycoAlUla #UAEteamEmirates #CyclingNews #BreakawayRiders #GeneralClassification #TourDeFrancePrep #FlorianLipowitz #VismaLeaseABike #RedBullBoraHansgrohe #CyclingStrategy #HardStage #ProCycling
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Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) emphasized the importance of controlling the breakaway on stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphiné to prevent riders like Eddie Dunbar (Team Jayco AlUla) and Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) from gaining significant time in the general classification. Despite Dunbar and his breakaway companions appearing poised to gain over a minute on the GC contenders, Pogačar’s team led the chase on the front of the peloton to limit the time loss to just 41 seconds.
Pogačar described the stage as challenging, likening it to a demanding Tour de France day, and praised his team’s efforts in managing the breakaway. He acknowledged that controlling such a strong break was difficult, especially with Dunbar and Lipowitz in it, and stressed that giving them too much time could have resulted in losing crucial positions in the GC. QuickStep-Soudal also contributed to the chase, while Visma-Lease a Bike provided limited assistance, perhaps reflecting their confidence in their GC position.
Pogačar expressed concern that not all teams were sufficiently worried about the breakaway, suggesting that more teams should have supported the chase to neutralize the threat. He noted that underestimating riders like Dunbar and Lipowitz could be costly, as they performed exceptionally well in the breakaway. Despite his team expending more energy than anticipated, Pogačar viewed the stage as valuable preparation for the Tour de France, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and strategy in such races.
