The 25-year-old Belgian was one of the day’s main protagonists.
Remco Evenepoel visited the podium at the end of the opening day, following an electrifying finish in Montluçon, where the race concluded for the first time in history. The Olympic Champion played a huge role in the outcome of a stage that on paper should have belonged to the sprinters, his presence at the front helping the dangerous move that formed after the last climb hold off the bunch by the smallest of margins.
Despite the presence of some small climbs on the course, the fast men were hoping to fight for glory Sunday afternoon, but their plans went up in smoke once a strong five-man group formed just four kilometers from the finish. Making his first outing with the team since the Tour de Romandie, where he won the second individual time trial, Remco was one of this breakaway’s main engines, his long pulls at the front ensuring the group a five-second gap going under the flamme rouge.
With 500 meters to go, the bunch was rapidly making up ground and looked poised to catch them, but the five launched their effort early, which was the last blow to the sprinters’ ambitions. Evenepoel finished fourth on the stage won by Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), a confidence-boosting result that put him in the white jersey.
“I wasn’t expecting to be in the mix for the stage win, but we knew that the last climb was going to be important. What happened just shows the way modern cycling is, as anything can happen. I joined the move and it was nice to be part of that strong group. I felt pretty good today and I am satisfied with this”, Evenepoel explained after the stage. “It’s a pity I lost some bonus seconds, as I started my sprint a bit too early in the headwind, but the fact I was there with the other GC guys it’s an encouraging sign. We’ll now try to carry this feeling into the next stages and keep the same motivation.
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
