"Jake Stewart Continues to Shine: Secures First WorldTour Victory in Critérium du Dauphiné Stage Five"
Joyously triumphing in Mâcon, Jake Stewart snatched a thrilling sprint victory at the Critérium du Dauphiné 2025—his first WorldTour triumph! Despite a tricky day packed with climbs and a fierce chase from the peloton, the British cyclist from Israel-Premier Tech proved his mettle, outwitting favorites like Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) [1][2].
Stewart's dazzling sprint started 300m from the finish line, demonstrating not just speed but strategic brilliance to outmaneuver his opponents [1]. Acknowledging his team's impeccable support, Stewart humbly admitted: "The boys backed me, the DSs backed me, the team backed me, and I couldn't be happier to finish it off for them" [2].
Though Jake's teammate Pascal Ackermann crashed earlier in the stage, this setback didn't deter Stewart from seizing the opportunity. "This one feels good," he proclaimed, referring to the 'slave driver's whip' finish strategy employed by his team [2]. It was an emotionally poignant victory for Stewart, being gutted that Ackermann didn't get to contest the finish [2].
The stage began with the dread of an upcoming trio of mountain days, urging the fast finishers to push hard on the 183km stretch from Saint-Priest to Mâcon. Despite the undulating terrain, the breakaway group, initially consisting of five riders, was eventually swallowed up by the peloton with 1,700m remaining [1].
In the final dash for the line, Stewart applied his tactical nous skillfully, navigating the tumultuous last kilometer. With a dash on the infamous 'U-bend,' he picked up Mathieu van der Poel's wheel before launching his winning attack on Milan [1].
As Stewart reveled in his victory, the overall race leader Remco Evenepoel, despite crashing on the treacherous 'U-bend,' successfully defended his yellow jersey, nursing only minor injuries [1][2]. The general classification remained largely unchanged, with Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar trailing Evenepoel by 16 and 38 seconds, respectively [1].
With this exhilarating win, Stewart has embarked on a flourishing season, tallying his second victories in a single season since commencing his WorldTour career [1]. According to Stewart, this triumph was long overdue, a redemption following his narrow miss in the initial stage and his victory in Four Days of Dunkerque [2].
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References:
- Cyclingnews. (2025). Jake Stewart wins stage 5 of the Critérium du Dauphiné 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/crite-rium-du-dauphine/2025/stage-5/results/
- Steeds, A. (2025). Jake Stewart takes first WorldTour win on stage 5 of the Critérium du Dauphiné. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jun/12/jake-stewart-critérium-du-dauphiné-remco-evenepoel-british-cyclist-win
Enrichment Data:
Background of Jake Stewart:
Hailing from Coventry, England, Jake Stewart began his professional cycling career with Team Wiggins. He then joined the Ineos development team in 2020 before landing his current position with Israel-Premier Tech in 2021[1]. Stewart is best known for his sprinting abilities and climbing prowess, which have earned him accolades in races such as the Tour de Yorkshire[1].
Jake Stewart's Career Milestones:
- 2018: Third place in the British National Road Race Championships [2]
- 2019: Second place in the Under-23 National Time Trial Championships [2]
- 2023: Signs first professional contract with Team Wiggins[3]
- 2025: Wins Stage 1 in the Four Days of Dunkerque[3]
- 2025: Secures first WorldTour victory at the Critérium du Dauphiné[1]
Sports enthusiasts, rejoice! Jake Stewart's first WorldTour triumph, a thrilling sprint victory at the Critérium du Dauphiné 2025, was indeed a testament to his athletic prowess. This victory came amidst fierce competition from favorites like Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Mathieu van der Poel, as Stewart demonstrated not only speed but strategic brilliance to outmaneuver his opponents.
