At the halfway point of the Critérium du Dauphiné, Team TotalEnergies continues to showcase its attacking ambitions day after day. Present at the front of the race since the start, the Vendée-based squad has been seizing every opportunity on the roads of the Alps and is beginning to reap the rewards of its collective commitment.
The week, however, got off to an unfortunate start for Jordan Jegat. The Breton rider suffered a puncture at the foot of the final climb on Stage 1 and immediately received support from Mattéo Vercher and Mathis Le Berre, who worked tirelessly to bring him back to the peloton. Despite their efforts, Jordan was unable to regain contact with the group of favourites.
A setback that quickly turned into motivation. The very next day, the French climber went back on the offensive, spending no fewer than 217 kilometres in the breakaway and securing an impressive 7th place on the stage.
On Tuesday, the entire squad delivered a solid performance in the team time trial. Team TotalEnergies finished 16th, just ten seconds shy of the top ten. An encouraging result that reflects the progress made in this demanding discipline, notably thanks to the specific track work undertaken by several riders as part of their preparation for the Tour de France.
As the team’s final rider on the course, Nicolas Breuillard helped the squad achieve an average speed of 49.190 km/h. This performance saw Team TotalEnergies finish as the best ProTeam in the event.
On Wednesday, the team once again animated the race thanks to Jordan Jegat and Mattéo Vercher. The two French riders made it into the day’s breakaway, a group of around ten riders, and managed to hold off the chasing peloton led by the sprint teams.
After a thrilling battle between the breakaway and the bunch, the attackers maintained enough of an advantage to fight for the stage victory. In the final sprint, Mattéo Vercher crossed the line in third place, claiming his second WorldTour podium after his podium finish at the 2024 Tour de France. Jordan Jegat, who has been on the attack throughout the week, was also rewarded for his efforts with the Combativity Award.
We knew we had a chance today by getting Jordan into the breakaway. We had to be strong to hold off the peloton, which was being driven by the sprint teams. It’s very satisfying to have stayed clear of the bunch. The final part of the race, after the succession of climbs, was extremely fast. Victory came down to very little, but we leave with a podium that rewards all the work we put in today. So far, this Critérium du Dauphiné has suited the attackers, and we’ll keep racing with the same mindset through to Sunday.
With the decisive mountain stages now approaching, Team TotalEnergies is determined to maintain this momentum. United, ambitious and true to its attacking DNA, the team will continue to seize every opportunity all the way to the final summit finish in Brison.
