COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Although Belgian rider Yves Lampaert caused a surprise by winning the Tour de France opening stage, two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar wouldn’t have been bothered at finishing third.
His priority was testing his race legs and placing ahead of his Slovenian countryman and main rival Primoz Roglic, the 2020 runner-up, who was eighth in the time trial.
“I’m feeling confident, satisfied, even though it was tense and tight for me,” Pogacar said according to AP. “It’s still one of my best Tour starts.”
Lampaert is a former world champion in team time trial but this was his first stage win at the three-week Tour. He clocked 15 minutes, 17 seconds on the 13-kilometer (eight-mile) route around Copenhagen.
The Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider was five seconds ahead of countryman Wout van Aert – Roglic’s Jumbo-Visma teammate – and seven ahead of Pogacar, who leads UAE Team Emirates. Pogacar was a measly nine seconds clear of Roglic.
Lampaert could scarcely believe it when he realized he won, wiping away tears and putting his hands on his mouth.
He couldn’t believe another thing, either, beating Van Aert – a three-time cyclo-cross world champion, multiple one-day classics winner and two-time national time trial champ.
“I beat the great Van Aert! It’s unbelievable for me, I never thought about wearing the yellow jersey. My head’s exploding,” Lampaert said. “I was expecting to finish in the top 10. That would have been very good, and now I’ve beaten all the best.”
The rain was teeming when Roglic finished under grey skies shortly after 4:30 p.m., and still lashing when Pogacar set off around 40 minutes later. Even though he is a specialist in the wet, Pogacar looked cautious taking the first turn.
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