There was a painful sense of déjà vu when Lemco Ivenepoel and Primo Logric were among the fallers in the mass crash that caused the neutralization of Stage 5 at the Dauphine's Criterium on Thursday.

Unlike the Ituria Basque Country of the month, they both managed to remount and ride to the finish line of the Sam Priest.

However, the yellow jersey Evenepoel then confirmed that Dauphiné was fit to ride when he resumed on Friday, but Rogliß struck a more cautious note, stating that he would be evaluated by Bora-Hansgrohe medical staff before making the decision.

"I can't really say anything. Now I go to the doctor, do a check and see what to do next," said Roglić, who is currently 33 seconds behind overall.

"The only thing is that I crashed into my shoulder, it's not the best, I had surgery a few years ago. We really need to check it and see what state it is in.

"But for me, it was definitely a lot better than some because I still got on top of the finish."

Roglić came back soon after the crash, but there was a more direct concern for Evenepoel, who was initially sitting on the roadside clutching his broken shoulder in the itzulia crash. However, the Soudal-QuickStep rider was later involved in the discussion on stage neutralization and confirmed that he did not suffer a fracture in this incident at the finish.

"My right side is quite damaged, but there is no fracture, otherwise I would not have been here anymore," Evenepoel said afterwards in the mixed zone.

"That's a positive thing about my crash, I don't need to leave the race. But I actually had a pretty big touch on my knee. Another bike came on my knee and it was quite painful, but I actually thought it was worse than it is now.

Even Paul and Logric had been forced to abandon the Ituria Basque Country in May after getting off in the same crash that left Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegor (Visma-leasing the bike).

Critérium du Dauphiné marked the return of both Evenepoel and Roglië to the competition and their final tune-up ahead of the tour. Evenepoel beat Roglić to win Wednesday's time trial, but he initially worried that he was undergoing another serious setback in Thursday's crash.

"I wasn't mad, but it was just like 'Wow, again' – it was only 4 or 5 days until the comeback to the race," Evenepoel said. "I wasn't upset, but I was a bit frustrated, especially considering what's coming in 3 weeks. I don't want to risk things. But I think it's a race these days.

More than half of the Dauphine Peloton crashed to the ground in 2 simultaneous crashes on a wet, slippery road following the finale's Côte de Bel Air. The race organization made an immediate decision to neutralize the stage, and the race for the day was completely suspended after it became clear that all ambulances during the race were being taken to the hospital.

Steven Kruijswijk and Dylan van Baarle's Visma-Lease A bike pair abandoned Dauphiné after the crash, but many of the riders who stepped on the soft pedal until the finish at Saint-Priest will need further assessment of their injuries before starting the stage on Friday.

"I was between 10th and 15th, and I think the riders in the 4th or 5th position started slipping," Evenepoel explained. "They may have touched the previous wheel, I don't know what had happened, but at some point I started to slip.

"I don't know what happened behind, but I was really close to saving it. But at the last moment there was a bike that came under my rear wheel and when I was braking, I did a front flip and landed on my head and shoulders. It was quite a big bang, but in the end there was nothing special from my side. It was a bit of a bowling game.

"Overall I'm fine, I fell on my right side, but it could have gotten worse. I hope everyone can recover from that massive fall. Tonight, let's see how my shoulders dealt with the impact, but I'm not worried."

Evenepoel leads Roglië by 33 seconds with consecutive summit finishes at Le Collet D'Allevard, Samoëns1600 and Plateau des Glières.

"After his shower, we'll see what Lemco's balance sheet is tonight," Soudal-QuickStep manager Patrick Lefevere told RTBF, but said the Belgian would continue to race "I think he needs three days in the mountains."”