Decathlon-AG2R impresses. The French formation takes a one-two in the first stage in the Tour de Romandie. Dorian Godon wins after a pressing sprint, ahead of his Italian teammate Andrea Vendrame and our compatriot Gianni Vermeersch. With Milan Menten (4th) and Kobe Goossens (10th), there are two more Belgians in the top 10. Thibau Nys is pushed out and only becomes thirteenth.
In the first stage of the Tour de Romandie, the riders faced 165 km with six categorized climbs and 2,631 meters of elevation gain. Most of the stage took place on a local lap of more than forty kilometers around Fribourg. This included the climbs to Arconciel (1.8km at 7.3%) and Lorette (700 meters at 12.7%). The Arconciel was on the course three times and last nine kilometers from the finish. It remained to be seen whether it would be too tough for the sprinters. Thibau Nys already made it clear before the race that he liked this stage. “I’m looking forward to it, but I’m also nervous,” said the Lidl-Trek rider. “It’s my first real ride of the season and I immediately have a chance of winning.”
This content contains cookies from social media or other external platforms. Because you have disabled these cookies, this content remains hidden. Accept cookies from social media to still display the content.
Seventeen kilometers in and the flight of the day was accomplished. It consisted of six riders with one Belgian: Rune Herregodts. He was accompanied by Juri Hollmann, Patrick Gamper, Raul Garcia, Joey Rosskopf and Fausto Masnada. In the peloton, the troops of EF Education-Easypost and Movistar took control. The maximum lead of the flight was four minutes and they thought that was too much. In the last lap, UAE’s Jan Christen thought things were going too slow on Lorette and he decided to attack. He got Richard Carapaz and David Gaudu with him, but the attempt failed. The peloton, which was already very thin, caught the riders back after a few kilometers.
After the attack, Thibau Nys’s troops also began to interfere with the platoon. So it looked like Nys was still feeling good for the day’s win. On the climb of the last time Arconciel, the leading group was caught. It looked like we were going to sprint, Herregodts and Alaphilippe wanted to avoid this by attacking, but both attacks resulted in a mouse. In the sprint, with a thinned out peloton, Dorian Godon managed to win in a strange way. The winner of the 2023 Brabantse Pijl took the lead-out for his teammate, but was the first to cross the line. In the general classification, Dorian Godon takes over the jersey from Maikel Zijlaard.
This content contains cookies from social media or other external platforms. Because you have disabled these cookies, this content remains hidden. Accept cookies from social media to still display the content.
view new updates
view important updates
17:18
Dorian Godon wins the first stage in line in the Tour de Romandie
Dorian Godon wins the first stage in line in Romandie. His teammate Vendrame comes second.
17:17
1 KM TO GO: FINAL KILOMETER!
Another 1 kilometer in the first stage in the Tour de Romandie.
5:15 PM
ANOTHER 2 KM: Trek appears to draw card Nys
The Lidl-Trek train comes forward, with Thibau Nys in the last position. Will they draw the Nys card when the supermarket chain is formed?
17:11
ANOTHER 7 KM: Peloton is heading for a bunch sprint
Let’s list the fast men with a possible bunch sprint:
Alex Aranburu for Movistar, Sean Flynn and Emils Liepins for DSM-firmenich-PostNL, Simone Consonni and Thibau Nys for Trek, Milan Menten for Lotto-Dstny and Alberto Dainese for Tudor Pro Cycling.
Nikias Arndt of Bahrain-Victorious should certainly not be underestimated in a sprint like this.
17:09
ANOTHER 8 KM: Herregodts attacks
Attempted attack by Rune Herregodts! Our young compatriot tries to get away from the peloton. But he doesn’t get away.
17:07
ANOTHER 9 KM: Alaphilippe attack
With 9 km left on the clock, Julian tries to attack Alaphilippe, does the ex-world champion succeed?
5:00 PM
15 KM TO GO: Half a minute left for the leading group
The leading group is gradually making the effort. The lead of the six is only 30″.
4:55 PM
ANOTHER 18 KM: Visma-Lease a Bike also makes an appearance
The trains at the front of the peloton receive support from another team. The yellow brigade of Visma-Lease a Bike takes up position at the front.
16:46
4:45 PM
ANOTHER 25 KM: Movistar in front
Movistar also shows up at the outposts. They want to keep both leader Enric Mas and sprinter Alex Aranburu at the front.
4:40 PM
ANOTHER 29 KM: Lead is shrinking
The leading group still has a lead of 1’30”, but the peloton is gradually starting to chase the escapees. Everything indicates that we will have a bunch sprint.
16:21
ANOTHER 42 KM: Things are going fast in the peloton
Nys’ team starts to drag along at the front of the peloton. Some riders are having a hard time at the back of the peloton. The speed clearly increases.
16:11
ANOTHER 50 KM: Peloton gets closer
The hard work of EF Education-EasyPost ensures that the escapees lose more and more of their time. They still have 2’10”.
15:58
15:52
STILL 64 KM: Refugees still three minutes
The peloton has woken up and is starting to chip away at the deficit, driven by EF Education-EasyPost and Movistar.
15:08
ANOTHER 96 KM: Direction four minutes
Herregodts and his companions are running well, as they extend their lead to 3’40”. It is of course still early, but is there a surprise in it?
2:43 PM
ANOTHER 113 KM: Cattaneo abandonment
Soudal Quick-Step loses a pawn, because Mattia Cattaneo crawls into the support car. It is not immediately clear what the reason for his resignation is.
14:32
ANOTHER 119 KM: Hollmann first on the first climb
The escapees reach the top of the first climb of the day. Hollmann takes the full spoils for Masnada and Garcia Pierna. The lead over the peloton has now increased to 2’45”.
13:58
ANOTHER 148 KM: Six leaders with one Belgian
In the initial phase of the stage, a leading group of six riders has formed. There is one Belgian: Rune Herregodts, a specialist in long escapes. The peloton follows after just under two minutes.
13:33
165 KM TO GO: Start!
The flag is flying, the stage has really started!
load more
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss anything from the stars.
Yes, I want free unlimited access
Tags: Onetwo DecathlonAG2R Dorian Godon wins ahead teammate Vendrame Gianni Vermeersch Cycling
