Godon’s stage win can no longer be called a surprise: ‘Today I was rewarded for my patience’

Had someone penciled him in for a stage win in stage 1 of the Tour de Romandie? Dorian Godon had already hoped for it, as he had finished fourth in the prologue on day one and could smell the leader’s jersey. After a one-two in the sprint of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, the 27-year-old Frenchman was allowed to put on the yellow jersey on Tuesday.

“The entire team has done a great job, as they have done since the start of the season,” Godon begins with the well-known lyrics afterwards. ‘We rode hard to bring back the leading group. I was released on the last climb, but was brought back three kilometers from the finish. As a sprinter, Nicolas Prodhomme then started the sprint perfectly.’

From the book. Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale has already recorded its eleventh victory of the season, and a record-setting season seems to be on its way. ‘We become one and two with Andrea Vendrame and take the leader’s jersey, that is very nice. It is my first WorldTour victory. I remained patient and was rewarded today, with the yellow being a bonus.”

Stage victory is a new milestone for Godon, who can enjoy it for one day

For Godon himself it is also the ninth victory of his career. And to think that in 2018 and 2019 he only wrote the prologue of the Boucles de la Mayenne. Since corona year 2020, things have gone fast for the tall (1.90 meters, clean on the hook) powerhouse, with two editions of Paris-Camembert to his name and in 2021 also success in the Tour du Limousin and Tour du Doubs. The Brabantse Pijl was perhaps his biggest victory in 2023, so far…

Godon can normally only wear his leader’s jersey for one day. In the second stage on Wednesday we will finish the Tour de Romandie uphill and it will be up to the classification riders.