Portugal Colonial - Evenepoel, Roglic return but Vingegaard misses Criterium du Dauphine

The week-long race in southeast France, a traditional warm-up for the Tour de France from June 21 to July 29, had been expected to be a battle between the three cycling stars.

Only Tadej Pogacar, poised to win the Giro d'Italia this weekend, had not been expected to compete in the Dauphine from June 2-9.

Instead it should be a duel because Evenepoel and Roglic who return after the mass crash in which they and Vingegaard were involved on the Tour of the Basque Country on April 4.

Roglic, a Slovenian, escaped with cuts and bruises but Vingegaard and Evenepoel both collected multiple fractures.

Belgian Evenepoel broke a collarbone and shoulder blade and will compete in his second race in France this year after the Paris-Nice in March, where he dominated Roglic.

Vingegaard, who in addition to a broken collarbone and ribs, also suffered chest and lung damage, does not appear on the entry list for the Dauphine, which he won last year.

The Dane only resumed cycling on May 7 and was seen this week training in Mallorca but his presence at the Tour de France is not guaranteed.

In his absence from the Dauphine, the Visma-Lease a bike team will be counting on Americans Sepp Kuss, winner of the last Vuelta a Espana, and Matteo Jorgenson, winner of the Paris-Nice in March.

Spaniards Juan Ayuso and Carlos Rodriguez, Britain's Tao Geoghegan Hart, French riders David Gaudu and Guillaume Martin, Colombian Santiago Buitrago and Austrian Felix Gall are also targeting the podium.

J.V.Jacinto--PC