Feelings ran excessive after the opening stage of the 2024 Tour de France in Rimini – and never simply because the French house favorite Romain Bardet claimed a breakaway stage win and the primary yellow jersey of his profession in his ultimate outing on the race.
Main the peloton house behind Bardet and his DSM-Firmenich PostNL teammate Frank van den Broek was Belgian star Wout van Aert, rounding out the rostrum for the perfect end result since he crashed out of the spring Classics at Dwars door Vlaanderen three months in the past.
Van Aert, who competed on the Tour of Norway and the Belgian Nationwide Championships earlier than beginning his sixth Tour de France, was emotional after crossing the road, having accomplished a protracted comeback from the damaged ribs, collarbone, and sternum suffered at Dwars.
He is been pressured to overlook out on the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and a Giro d’Italia debut within the meantime. However a 3rd place on stage 1 – regardless of days in the past claiming he has “by no means began the Tour in such poor kind” – was a very good purpose to let the feelings movement.
“It is actually satisfying to indicate this once more,” Van Aert stated amid tears of aid previous the end line within the resort city on the shore of the Adriatic Sea. “Clearly, it is a pity I got here up quick on the win however the place I got here from, I by no means anticipated to be right here on this degree, and it feels actually good.”
The 206km opening stage was a tricky one, with seven main climbs packing the route and distancing all however probably the most versatile of fastmen – Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Alex Aranburu (Movistar) additionally completed among the many high 10 – whereas temperatures reached an uncomfortable 35°C.
The route, and the situations – plus some onerous pacemaking set mid-stage by UAE Crew Emirates – mixed to make it a difficult day within the saddle, with solely 46 males ending in the primary group behind Bardet and Van den Broek.
Van Aert stated that he might see others struggling through the five-hour stage, however realised that he, in distinction, was feeling extra optimistic.
“All through the race, I might see that lots of guys have been struggling, and I felt fairly OK nonetheless,” he stated. “So, slowly I gained confidence – particularly within the final 4 climbs. The primary two have been the toughest so after I was over them, I began to imagine in it.
“I additionally requested the boys to totally commit for the stage win. It is clearly a disgrace we missed out on that, however I am actually happy with my efficiency and of how we rode.”
His Visma-Lease A Bike had been among the many groups doing the majority of the work within the ultimate 52km of the stage, which included the ultimate three climbs. The Dutch squad, later joined by Lidl-Trek who labored for Pedersen, fell simply in need of catching the DSM duo.
Nevertheless, the day was nonetheless a optimistic expertise, with workforce chief and defending race champion Jonas Vingegaard additionally coming by with none difficulties on his first day again within the peloton following his personal spring-ruining crash at Itzulia Basque Nation.
“I believe [Jonas was] by no means in hassle,” Van Aert stated of his Danish teammate. “Additionally, it was an excellent hectic day with twisty roads, so it should give him a very good feeling to complete off like this.”
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