Yves Lampaert surprised them all

(Copenhagen) Copenhagen is the city par excellence for cyclists and pedestrians. Everyone has their own way, well defined and identified. The cars ? They wait without hesitation, respecting their own corridor of circulation.

But there are not only advantages to all these white and blue paint marks on the roads. All cyclists know it: when it rains, it slips. “Like a bar of soap”, noted the Swiss Stefan Bissegger (EF), a favorite who lay down twice on the ground during the opening time trial of the Tour de France, Friday afternoon.

In these difficult conditions – and in front of a massive Danish public – the Belgian Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step) surprised all the contenders who left before him, starting with his compatriot Wout Van Aert (Jumbo), who occupied the leading position. for a long time.

“I beat the great Van Aert! “Launched an incredulous and tearful Lampaert after the finish. “It’s incredible for me, I never thought of wearing the yellow jersey. My head is exploding! »

Taking advantage of a drier surface, Lampaert, a 31-year-old farmer’s son, beat Van Aert by five seconds. He covered the circuit and its twenty corners at an average speed of 51.8 km/h. The double national champion of the specialty had a great second half of the course.

Hugo Houle hailed the coup de force of the Belgian, recognized for his qualities in the spring classics: “Impressive, Lampaert. I think he surprised a lot of people today. I do. He is a very great runner, but to say that he would beat all these guys… The leaders were a little trapped [par la météo]. If they had left last, it would have changed the situation. »

Speechless in the leader’s chair, Van Aert was aiming for a third consecutive Tour de France victory. He had won the final time trial and the sprint finish on the Champs-Élysées last year.

“I am disappointed, obviously, he reacted. It’s frustrating, but with the bonuses, it’s possible to take the yellow jersey in the next few days. There was a possibility today. That’s a shame ! »

The other big news of the day is the third place of Tadej Pogačar, the 23-year-old Slovenian who is aiming for a third consecutive title. Not only did he beat world champion Filippo Ganna (Ineos), who however ended up with a slow puncture, but he sent a message to all his other rivals in the general classification.

“I feel confident, satisfied, even if it was tense and stressful for me,” assured the leader of the UAE. “It remains one of my best starts in the Tour. »

His two expected opponents from Jumbo-Visma were equal. Dane Jonas Vingegaard (7^e) and the Slovenian Primož Roglič (8^e) finished 8 and 9 seconds behind Pogačar respectively. It was therefore not Friday that the leaders of the Dutch formation were going to establish the hierarchy, a subject which promises to be potentially delicate.

The Briton Adam Yates (Ineos) made an excellent operation by slipping into the 13th^e place, 16 seconds from “Pogi”. His teammates Geraint Thomas (18^e) and Dani Martinez (33^e) ended up a bit further. Here too, the priorities remain to be defined.

Frenchman David Gaudu, teammate of Antoine Duchesne at Groupama-FDJ, saved the day by giving up less than a minute to the leader.

The biggest notable loser is Australian Ben O’Connor (AG2R), fourth in the Tour in 2021, who is already almost a minute behind Pogačar.

The table is set for the second stage, this Saturday, where Van Aert will try to steal the yellow from Lampaert. All attention will be on the 18 km long Great Belt double bridge which connects the islands of Seeland and Funen. The finish line is located 3 km after the end of the bridge. The 50 km approach promises to be very nervous, especially if the offshore wind picks up.