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Team Bora's Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey cycles with the pack of riders during the eighth and last stage of the 76th edition of the Criterium du Dauphine cycling race on Sunday. Image Credit: AFP

Plateau Des Glihres, France: Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic held off a late surge by American Matteo Jorgenson to win his second Criterium du Dauphine by just eight seconds on Sunday.

Roglic went into the last day of the pre-Tour de France race with a 1 minute 2 second lead on Jorgenson but the American put in a fine performance to come second in the eighth and final stage, just behind stage winner Carlos Rodriguez of Spain.

The 34-year-old Slovenian came in sixth on the day after forcing his way up the final ascent just in time to ensure he added a second Dauphine victory to his win in 2022.

Jorgenson, 24, of Visma failed to add a Criterium win to his Paris-Nice title this year as he ended up second in the overall classification.

Third place

Canadian Derek Gee was dropped by the leading group of Jorgenson and Rodriguez just before the finish line but rolled through in third place for the stage and consolidated his spot on the podium of the general ranking, 36sec behind Roglic.

Ineos’ Rodriguez claimed a career-first Criterium stage win in Sunday’s 160 kilometre mountainous run from Thones to Plateau des Glieres to jump to fourth in the overall ranking.