Bardet wins Tour opener, giants hold back
Extrem hilly and extremely hot: The opening stage of the Tour de France in Italy was both. The strength of favorite Pogacar and what Vingegaard is after his heavy fall remains uncertain - the two finished behind Bardet in a reserved manner.
At the energy-sapping start of the 111th Tour de France in the heat of Italy, the favorites around Tadej Pogacar and title defender Jonas Vingegaard did not deliver the first major clash. Instead, French cyclist Romain Bardet from the Dutch dsm-Team with German John Degenkolb won after 206 challenging kilometers between Florence and the seaside resort Rimini. Both finished a few seconds ahead of the main field. Belgian Wout van Aert came in third. The 33-year-old Bardet secured his fourth Tour stage win.
However, Mark Cavendish had little reason to be happy. The 39-year-old veteran, who seriously considered retiring from racing last year, had to abandon his goal of another stage win during this Tour. The British sprinter, who had already completed 15 Tour participations, was completely drained and risked falling out of the time limit with a gap of more than 30 minutes from the lead.
Does Pogacar ride like Pantani?
The favorites kept a low profile, possibly the first major showdown will come on Sunday. Some observers expected an early attack from the Slovenian Pogacar. "It's not that far yet. But I think Sunday or the stage on Tuesday will be really tough for the favorites," he said before the race start.
The 25-year-old winner of the Giro is considered a big favorite for the title at the French Grand Tour, he could become the first to triumph at both major tours in a single year since Marco Pantani in 1998. Vingegaard had not raced since his heavy fall in April. "Of course, he didn't have the optimal preparation. But we're ready to fight and take it day by day," said Vingegaard's sports director Grischa Niermann to Eurosport.
Accident with a fan - teeth broken
For the first time, the Tour started in Italy. And the first of the 21 sections was not only due to the 3,600 meters in elevation, which the organizers had never before given at the start. The high temperatures drained the riders' strength. Temperatures reached up to 38 degrees on the course.
However, there were also other problems: For the Czech cyclist Jan Hirt, the Tour began painfully. Shortly before the start of the stage in Florence, there was a collision with a spectator. A team spokesperson confirmed this, but could not provide any details. Hirt's teeth were damaged. According to the spokesperson, the start was chaotic. Many spectators had gathered around the buses.
On the second tour day, the pros start racing in Cesenatico on a Sunday. The city is the birthplace of the 2004 Tour de France winner Pantani. The stage ends after 199.2 kilometers and some short but steep climbs in Bologna. An escapee with all-rounder qualities could win there. It is also possible that the favorites engage in their first power struggle.
Despite the challenging opening stage of the Tour de France, the favorite Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, recovering from his fall, didn't make a significant impact. Instead, Romain Bardet from the Dutch dsm-Team dominated, showcasing his cycling skills in cycling's grandest race, the Tour de France, known for its rigorous stages like the one in Cycling.
As the race progresses, cycling enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the day when Pogacar might display skills reminiscent of Marco Pantani, the last cyclist to win both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in a single year back in 1998. The Spanish edition of the Giro, which Pogacar won, has certainly fueled this expectation.
