As it happened: Roglič takes the title despite major crisis as Rodríguez wins stage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 8 of the 2024 Critérium du Dauphiné!

It is the final stage of this year's Dauphine and the race looks like it may already be won. However, Primož Roglič (BOH) has to defend his 1'02" lead over Matteo Jorgenson (TVL) and the rest over four categorised climbs. 

Yet more DNSs today with three riders not taking to the start today:

Sepp Kuss (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike
Harold Tejada (COL) Astana Qazaqstan
Clement Champoussin (FRA) Arkea-B&B Hotels

The teams have signed on and are ready to go for the final stage of this year's race. Just under 15 minutes until the neutral start begins in Thônes. 

Fighting talk from Jorgenson (TVL) this morning. 

He now only has three teammates left with him after Kuss left the race this morning. He has Bouwman, Lemmen and Benoot left by his side. 

The jerseys going into the final stage:

GC, Primož Roglič (SLO) Bora-Hansgrohe
Points, Primož Roglič (SLO) Bora-Hansgrohe*
KoM, Primož Roglič (SLO) Bora-Hansgrohe**
Best Young rider, Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike

* Worn by, Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Lidl-Trek
** Worn by, Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA) Astana Qazaqstan

Last year, Jonas Vingegaard (TVL) won the Dauphine and hen went onto win the Tour de France. 

Before then, it was 2018 when Geraint Thomas (IGD) won. It was used as a key race to do and to win by Ineos Grenadiers/Team Sky with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome (now IPT) also winning before going onto win the Tour.

Will it be Primož Roglič's (BOH) year to do the same?  

Neutral start

The riders have started the neutral zone and will now ride to kilometre zero where the race is due to start in 15 minutes. 

The first climb of the day comes after just under 10km of racing. The Col de la Forclaz-de-Montmin. 7.1km at an average gradient of 7.3%. 

It has been fantastic to see Ciccone (LTK) back to good fitness in the mountains after having to miss the Giro d'Italia once again. He is looking really good as he heads to the Tour and the end of the month. 

160.6km to go

We are racing! The flag is waved and the race to Plateau des Glières begins. 

More DNSs today:

Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Lidl-Trek
Mark Donovan (GBR) Q36.5
Tom Paquot (BEL) Intermarche-Wanty

No attacks to form the early break just yet. 

The peloton has just started the first climb of the day. The Col de la Forclaz-de-Montmin (7.1km at 7.3%).

A large group has formed with around 10 riders getting away from the peloton. 

Fortunato (AST) and Cort (UXM) were involved in early moves to try and get away. Yet to see confirmation of who is in this 10 man group but they currently have around 10" on the peloton. 

The riders are currently tackling slopes of around 10% gradient. 3896 metres of climbing on the menu today. The riders have done 360m at the moment. 

The temperature today is a pleasant 18.7 degrees centigrade with almost no wind at all in the area. Plenty of clouds, though. Bit of a mild overcast day. 

First view of the front of the race and it is the new US national champion, Sean Quinn (EFE), leading the way with Politt (UAD), Soler (UAD) and Fraile (IGD) also in the group. 

145km to go

Leaders:

Soler (UAD) +7'07"
Fortunato (AST) +16'57"
Prodhomme (DAT) +26'11"
Lemmen (TVL) +31'55"
Quinn (EFE) +36'57"

Chasers +20":

Gaudu (GFC) +7'43"
Sepulveda (LTD) +10'49"
Martin (COF) +12'37"
Armirail (DAT) +30'52"
Fraile (IGD) +39'25"

Peloton +40"

KoM sprint result

1. Fortunato (ITA) AST 10pts
2. Soler (ESP) UAD 8pts
3. Prodhomme (FRA) DAT 6pts
4. Quinn (USA) EFE 4pts
5. Lemmen (NED) TVL 2pts
6. Wellens (BEL) UAD 1pt

The break is looking strong for now as they extend their lead over the peloton to over a minute. The chase group including Gaudu (GFC) is closing in, though. They are at +12" from the leaders. 

Break and chase merge. Here is the confirmed break lineup:

Soler (UAD) +7'07"
Gaudu (GFC) +7'43"
Sepulveda (LTD) +10'49"
Martin (COF) +12'37"
Fortunato (AST) +16'57"
Prodhomme (DAT) +26'11"
Armirail (DAT) +30'52"
Lemmen (TVL) +31'55"
Quinn (EFE) +36'57"
Wellens (UAD) +39'13"
Fraile (IGD) +39'25"

130km to go

The break have +2'10" on the peloton as they go onto the second climb of the day, the Col des Esserieux, 4.2km at 5.4%.

Abandon:

Florian Sénéchal (FRA) Arkea-B&B Hotels

That leaves just three riders from the Bretagne squad. 

The peloton seems to have settled into the day with Bora-Hansgrohe leading for their leader in yellow, Primož Roglič. 

KoM sprint result

1. Fortunato (ITA) AST 2pts
2. Wellens (BEL) UAD 1pts

Here is what second place Matteo Jorgenson (TVL) had to say after his excellent second place yesterday...

>>> ‘I passed the test’ - Matteo Jorgenson surprises himself with second place finish at Dauphiné Queen Stage 

More abandons:

Pavel Sivakov (FRA) UAE Team Emirates
Antonio Pedrero (ESP) Movistar

That means there are only 100 riders left in the race. 54 riders have left the race. 

120km to go

The break now have a gap of +2'50" over the peloton. 

The race is now on yet another climb. However, this one will not see a KoM sprint. In fact, it is the intermediate sprint at the top in Saint-Jean-de-Sixt.

110km to go

The break now has a gap of +2'55" on the peloton led by Bora-Hansgrohe for Primož Roglič. 

More abandons:

Toms Skujins (LAT) Lidl-Trek
Vito Braet (BEL) Intermarche-Wanty
Tobias Ludvigsson (SWE) Q36.5

Intermediate sprint result

1. Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 10pts 3"
2. Sepulveda (ARG) Lotto-DSTNY 6pts 2"
3. Prodhomme (FRA) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale 4pts 1"

100km to go

The pace is up again as they descend for 20km to the valley bottom where the race will take place for around another 20km before heading up the penultimate climb of the race, Le Salève (12.1km at 6.8%). 

Onto the valley road they go. The gap between the break and the peloton is now sitting at +3'10". 

90km to go

Can the break hold off the chasing pack? At the moment, it is looking like it could be set up for yet another Primož Roglič (BOH) stage victory. 

Half of the stage has been ridden. 

80km to go

The gap has extended to +3'40" on the valley road. The break appear to be working well together. 

Two hours of racing done and the average speed is 40.6kph. Considering the terrain, that is a fairly pacy first half of the day. 

Guillaume Martin (COF) spending his birthday in the break. He turns 31 today. 

Marc Soler (UAD) went so close in serach of his first win since 2022 yesterday. The Catalan rider is in the break again today. Can he hold off the likes of Primož Roglič (BOH) this time? See what he had to say about his solo break by clicking the link below...

>>> ‘I tried but this climb was so hard’ - Marc Soler caught in final kilometres of Dauphiné Queen Stage 

70km to go

Onto the penultimate climb of this year's race. Le Salève (12.1km at 6.8%). It is a 1st category climb, so 10 points are available at the top for the first rider over it. An important one for Lorenzo Fortunato (AST) who now has a 10pt lead over Primož Roglič (BOH) in the King of the Mountains competition. 

Fortunato (AST) surprisingly has been distanced by the break and is now +18" behind the leaders. The peloton has also upped the pace and they are now +2'36" behind the break.  

The peloton is now splitting as the pace is raised on the steeper slopes of Le Salève with the race taking on 13% gradients at the moment. 

Bizarrely, Ineos Grenadiers are the team doing the damage on the front of the peloton. Their leader, Carlos Rodríguez, is in 5th place just two seconds behind Aleksandr Vlasov (BOH). 

The weather is now changing as the rain starts to fall. It has been a mix of overcast and sun so far, but now they are climbing the rain starts to fall again. 

60km to go

Prodhomme (DAT) is the latest rider dropped by the lead group and is at +1'04". Fortunato (AST) is now at +1'08". The peloton is at +2'35". 

Fortunato (AST) had caught Prodhomme (DAT) as they look to stay out in front of the peloton and maybe drag themselves back to the lead break. But then the Italian was distanced again. 

Ineos Grenadiers still working on the front of the peloton with Castroviejo leading Tarling, Kwiatkowski, De Plus and Rodríguez. They do also have Fraile in the break as well. Very odd. 

Fortunato (AST) is caught by the peloton. He might win the mountain jersey but it depends on Soler (UAD) and Roglič (BOH). 

KoM sprint result

1. Soler (ESP) UAD 10pts
2. Gaudu (FRA) GFC 8pts
3. Sepulveda (ARG) LTD 6pts
4. Quinn (USA) EFE 4pts
5. Martin (FRA) COF 2pts
6. Armirail (FRA) DAT 1pt

Prodhomme (DAT) caught by the peloton. 

50km to go

The peloton has shrunk substantially now. Ineos Grenadiers still have four riders ahead of Rodríguez. Bora-Hansgrohe still have four riders around Roglič (BOH). 

The gap between the break and the peloton is now down to +1'40" as the GC riders look to be aiming for a stage win. Carlos Rodríguez (IGD) especially. 

Fortunately the roads are dry for the descent. The gap now at +1'44".

Ineos Grenadiers have sat up. The pace has gone out of the peloton completely as Rodríguez needed a comfort break. Gap is flying back up to above two minutes again. 

30km to go

The break have a gap of +2'14" on the peloton which is now lead by Bora-Hansgrohe, again. 

A new team on the front of the peloton now. Lidl-Trek with Mads Pedersen who is working for his leader, Giulio Ciccone. 

Over the top of this little kicker and the break have +1'37" with 15km until the base of the final climb, the Plateau des Glières (9.4km at 7.1%). 

20km to go

The break holding just over a minute and a half on the Lidl-Trek led peloton. 

The riders don't start the climb officially for another 7km roughtly but the race is climbing to that point already. 

Mads Pedersen (LTK) is motoring here. He has destroyed the gap to the break with just +58" between the break and the chasing pack now. 

10km to go

The former world champion, Pedersen (LTK), has put in a superb ride along with Carlos Verona. They are the only riders left supporting Ciccone after Gibbons abandoned earlier today. Just +37" between the break and the peloton now. 

Onto the final climb of the Col des Glières (9.4km at 7.1%) as they head to the finish at Plateau des Glières. 

Pedersen (LTK) has finished his effort as Bora-Hansgrohe did take it up. But, now it is Benoot (TVL) for Jorgenson (TVL) on the front of the bunch setting the pace. 

Attack in break

Sean Quinn (EFE) and Guillaume Martin (COF) go clear from the rest. 

Attack in peloton

Giulio Ciccone (LTK)

Vlasov (BOH) launches with Roglič (BOH) in his wheel. 

Now Bora-Hansgrohe have reorganised with Hindley leading Vlasov and Roglič now on the front of the GC group. 

Ciccone (LTK) catches Quinn (EFE) and Martin (COF) with the US nation champion, Quinn sitting up immediately. 

7km to go and Hindley (BOH) is setting a very intense pace for Roglič as the gap up with Ciccone (LTK), who is now solo, sitting at +13". 

6km to go. Ciccone (LTK) is being held at around +18" now. Hindley (BOH) still leading the GC group. 

Attack

Laurens De Plus (IGD)
Remco Evenepoel (SOQ)

Evenepoel (SOQ) pulling out of the line very quickly as De Plus (IGD) now ups the tempo for Rodríguez (IGD) as the group has been destroyed. 

De Plus (IGD) has dropped Evenepoel (SOQ). Vlasov (BOH) has also swung out but is holding on for now. 

Attack!

Carlos Rodríguez (IGD)
Matteo Jorgenson (TVL)
Laurens De Plus (IGD)
Derek Gee (IPT)
Santiago Buitrago (TBV)

Primož Roglič (BOH) and Giulio Ciccone (LTK) can not follow!!

Primož Roglič (BOH) is in crisis! So far, he is still on track to win the GC. Jorgenson (TVL) starts riding. This is pure drama on this final climb. 

De Plus (IGD) comes back to the front and is setting a brutal pace for Carlos Rodríguez (IGD) but De Plus (IGD) swings off and is distanced with Buitrago (TBV). 

4km to go

Derek Gee (IPT) riding at the moment with Matteo Jorgenson (TVL) and Carlos Rodríguez (IGD) sitting on his wheel. The gap says it is +13" back to the race leader. 

Buitrago (TBV) making a big effort to get back to the leading trio as the Colombian climber drops De Plus (IGD). 

Primož Roglič (BOH) is losing 22" at the moment. If he loses 53" and Jorgenson (TVL) wins, the American will lose the race. 

Evenepoel (SOQ) is riding back to Roglič (BOH), the Belgian star is just 10" behind the race leader with Vlasov (BOH) on his wheel. 

Matteo Jorgenson (TVL) is giving his all with Carlos Rodríguez (IGD) looking very good too. Derek Gee (IPT) looks to be really struggling but has held on as the climbing is done. 

Primož Roglič (BOH) is +32" behind Jorgenson (TVL) and co inside the final 2km. 

Flamme Rouge

Gee (IPT) has just lost the wheel of Jorgenson (TVL) and Rodríguez (IGD) with +42" back to Roglič (BOH). 

Roglič (BOH) is having a shocker today and Jorgenson (TVL) may well be on his way to winning this race overall. 

400 metres to go. 

250 metres to go for Jorgenson (TVL) and Rodríguez (IGD). 

Carlos Rodríguez (IGD) wins stage eight of the Criterium du Dauphine 2024 with Matteo Jorgenson (TVL) in second and Derek Gee (IPT) in third. 

Primož Roglič (BOH) wins the Criterium du Dauphine 2024! He holds onto his yellow jersey by just 6". 

Stage eight top 10

1. Carlos Rodríguez (ESP) Ineos Grenadiers 4:18'02"
2. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike S.T.
3. Derek Gee (CAN) Israel-Premier Tech +15"
4. Laurens De Plus (BEL) Ineos Grenadiers +35"
5. Santiago Buitrago (COL) Bahrain Victorious S.T.
6. Primož Roglič (SLO) Bora-Hansgrohe +48"
7. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Lidl-Trek S.T.
8. Remco Evenepoel (BEL) Soudal-QuickStep +58"
9. Aleksandr Vlasov () Bora-Hansgrohe S.T.
10. Mikel Landa (ESP) Soudal-QuickStep +1'10"

Final General Classification

1. Primož Roglič (SLO) Bora-Hansgrohe 25:35'40"
2. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike +8"
3. Derek Gee (CAN) Israel-Premier Tech +36"
4. Carlos Rodríguez (ESP) Ineos Grenadiers +1'00"
5. Laurens De Plus (BEL) Ineos Grenadiers +2'04"
6. Aleksandr Vlasov () Bora-Hansgrohe +2'06"
7. Remco Evenepoel (BEL) Soudal-QuickStep +2'25"
8. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Lidl-Trek +2'54"
9. Oier Lazkano (ESP) Movistar S.T.
10. Mikel Landa (ESP) Soudal-QuickStep +4'13"

Jerseys:

GC, yellow: Primož Roglič (SLO) Bora-Hansgrohe
Points, green: Primož Roglič (SLO) Bora-Hansgrohe
KoM, blue and white: Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA) Astana Qazaqstan
Best Young Rider, white: Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike

Team: Bora-Hansgrohe

Have a read of our post race report for a summary of what has been an electric final stage of the Criterium du Dauphine 2024 by clicking the link below. Also, keep an eye on our website for all the reaction from all the top riders and teams. 

>>> 2024 Critérium du Dauphiné: Primož Roglič wins overall despite late scare as Jorgenson attacks 

The Tour de Suisse has just got underway as well, make sure you join our live updates for the opening prologue in the link below...

>>> Tour de Suisse stage 1 Live - An early test against the clock 

That brings this live page to a close after a superb race in France. Not long to go until the Tour de France gets underway. 

But, we do have plenty more content to look forward to here on CyclingNews until then. For now, thank you for following along on our Critérium du Dauphiné coverage and have a lovely rest of your weekend. Goodbye!