The first stage in the Tour de France has reached an unprecedented denouement with UAE as the big winner. Adam Yates accepted the sign of leader Tadej Pogacar in the final and emerged victorious after a duet with his brother Simon. Pogacar, with Jonas Vingegaard the strongest on the Côte de Pike, also collected bonus seconds in 3rd place. Jumbo-Visma wanted to roll out the yellow carpet for Wout van Aert, but that plan failed.
The 1st stage of the Tour in a nutshell:
Winner of the day: It was certainly to be expected that a rider from UAE could win the 1st stage in this Tour. But nobody expected that it is not Tadej Pogacar and Adam Yates. The Brit completed an attack together with his twin brother Simon and takes the first yellow jersey in Bilbao.
Losers of the day (1): Jumbo-Visma had to race on the defensive throughout the final due to UAE’s suffocating tactics. The Côte de Pike was just too difficult for Wout van Aert, Jonas Vingegaard starts the Tour with a small gap on Pogacar.
Losers of the day (2): After a 2nd place in the Vuelta last year, Enric Mas (Movistar) aimed his arrows at the Grand Départ in his own country this year. But already after day 1 his Tour is over. Together with Richard Carapaz (EF-EasyPost) he crashed heavily in the final. Mas got off, Carapaz continued with a painful grimace.
Tomorrow: Also on day 2 a Basque portion of hills is on the menu. The climbing in the final with the Jaizkibel is a bit longer and with more friendly gradients than today. Is that really bacon to Van Aert’s mouth?
Statistics: Tadej Pogacar leads the young rider classification in the Tour for the 52nd day in a row. A series that the Slovenian started on September 11, 2020. Moreover, with his 55th white jersey in total, he is now the only record holder, ahead of Jan Ullrich (54 pieces).
Quick exit for Mas, Carapaz also suffers
The toughest start of the Tour de France ever.
This is how the opening stage in the Basque Country announced itself. And whether it was a tough start.
Under the impetus of Team Jumbo – Visma, among others, the leading group of 5 never had much room to maneuver and their adventure was over before the final had even started.
The systematic thinning continued on the Côte de Vivero, where it was soon game over for home driver Pello Bilbao, among others.
In the descent, disaster also struck for another Spaniard with Enric Mas. The Movistar leader crashed heavily and had to give up, Richard Carapaz came in with blood and bruises in fifteen minutes.
Adam Yates wraps up UAE’s dominant display
The Côte de Pike, announced in advance as a “Wall of Huy”, had to provide the first real differences between the favorites.
Adam Yates seemed to make the decision in the service of his leader Tadej Pogacar, only Jonas Vingegaard and the surpise of the chief Victor Lafay could follow.
However, a group with Wout van Aert was able to return in the sink towards Bilbao. For example, an elite group of 15 was allowed to compete for the stage victory and the first yellow jersey.
Twin brothers Adam and Simon Yates saw their chance and tried to surprise the other favourites. Logically, there was nothing wrong with their relationship.
Jumbo-Visma was unable to close the gap for the final kilometer with the pursuers. It was still vicious and without really sprinting Adam Yates left his brother behind.
Tadej Pogacar’s British lieutenant underlined UAE Team Emirates’ dominance by taking the first yellow jersey himself, while his leader easily won the sprint for third place.
Wout van Aert could no longer really interfere in that sprint and finished 11th in the day result.
5:20 pm. The plan of UAE seems to work already on day 1 of this Tour. With Adam Yates they have a 2nd pawn to play with and make Vingegaard’s life miserable. .
The plan of UAE therefore seems to work on day 1 of this Tour. With Adam Yates they have a 2nd pawn to play with and make Vingegaard’s life miserable.
17:18. Pogacar divides and conquers already on day one. . Renate Schotte.
Pogacar divides and rules from day one.
Renate Schotte
5:18 pm Adam Yates knocks his brother Simon into the lock and wins the first stage in the Tour.
Adam Yates beats his brother Simon in the lock and wins the first stage in the Tour
5:17 PM Adam Yates wins! It’s not Tadej Pogacar, but we do see a UAE rider finish it. Pogacar gets the job done for place 3 in the group of favorites and takes some bonus seconds. .
Adam Yates wint!
It’s not Tadej Pogacar, but we do see a UAE rider finish it. Pogacar gets the job done for place 3 in the group of favorites and takes some bonus seconds.
17:16. Simon has to look back and sits on a hole. Adam Yates is on his way to the stage win and the yellow! .
Simon has to look back and sits on a hole. Adam Yates is on his way to the stage win and the yellow!
5:15 pm. Who will be the most explosive Yates in the sloping final kilometer in Bilbao? Adam has to start from the top. .
Who is the most explosive Yates in the sloping final kilometer in Bilbao? Adam has to start from the top.
Last km. Benoot and Kelderman don’t seem to be able to close the gap. Yates (x2) dive into the closing kilometer with a lead of almost 20 seconds. . 5:15 pm.
last km Last km.
Benoot and Kelderman don’t seem to be able to close the gap. Yates (x2) dive into the closing kilometer with a lead of almost 20 seconds.
17:13. Shouldn’t Vingegaard join in to do Van Aert a favour? . Jose De Cauwer.
Shouldn’t Vingegaard participate in doing Van Aert a service?
Joseph DeCauwer
5:13 pm. The lead of the Yates tandem is growing. Can they decide in Bilbao who puts on the first yellow jersey? To be clear: Adam drives for UAE, Simon for Jayco-AlUla. .
The lead of the Yates tandem is growing. Can they decide in Bilbao who puts on the first yellow jersey? To be clear: Adam drives for UAE, Simon for Jayco-AlUla.
5pm 12. Fighting spirit for Adam Yates. Another 4 kilometers. Yates already has a first prize, will the stage victory also follow for himself or his twin brother? They have a lead of 13 seconds on the Van Aert group. .
Fighting spirit for Adam Yates
Another 4 kilometers. Yates already has a first prize, will the stage victory also follow for himself or his twin brother?
They have a lead of 13 seconds on the Van Aert group.
5:10 p.m. Landa, Hindley, Skjelmose, Woods, Pogacar, Lafay, Pinot, Gaudu. There is no shortage of contenders in the group of favourites. Van der Poel is not with us, Van Aert is. .
Landa, Hindley, Skjelmose, Woods, Pogacar, Lafay, Pinot, Gaudu. There is no shortage of contenders in the group of favourites. Van der Poel is not with us, Van Aert is.
5:10 pm. The Yates brothers run off together.
The Yates brothers run off together
5:09 pm. A train of 4 Jumbo-Visma’s has formed in the Vingegaard group. Are they putting everything on Van Aert now? .
A train of 4 Jumbo-Visma’s has formed in the Vingegaard group. Are they putting everything on Van Aert now?
5:08 PM. If we were looking for a story, now we get one. A twin on the head! . Renate Schotte.
If we were looking for a story, now we get one. A twin on the head!
Renate Schotte
5:08 PM. The returned Yates brothers accelerate from the head of the course. The group with Vingegaard and Pogacar has thickened again. .
The returned Yates brothers accelerate from the head of the course. The group with Vingegaard and Pogacar has thickened again.
5:07 PM. At Van Aert it is not quite running smoothly, but it does not follow that far behind the leading trio. He is in a group including Pidcock 15 seconds from the front runners at the top of the Pike. Van der Poel is a bit further, Alaphilippe is no longer to be seen in any fields or roads. .
At Van Aert it is not quite running smoothly, but it does not follow that far behind the leading trio. He is in a group including Pidcock 15 seconds from the front runners at the top of the Pike.
Van der Poel is a bit further, Alaphilippe is no longer to be seen in any fields or roads.
5:05 PM. Pogacar himself. The duel has already started on day 1. Pogacar accelerates himself, Vingegaard and Lafay follow quickly. .
Pogacar himself
The duel has already started on day 1. Pogacar accelerates himself, Vingegaard and Lafay follow quickly.
5:04 PM. Yates, Pogacar, and Vingegaard break away from the rest of the pack. Lafay can also come along. .
Yates, Pogacar and Vingegaard tear themselves away from the rest of the pack. Lafay can also come along.
5:04 PM For Mohoric, Dani Martinez and Jorgenson, things are going too fast now. Adam Yates raises the pace once again in the service of Pogacar. .
Things are going too fast for Mohoric, Dani Martinez and Jorgenson. Adam Yates raises the pace once again in the service of Pogacar.
5:04 PM Spectacular on the final climb! Pogacar, Vingegaard and Lafay are the strongest.
Spectacular on the final climb! Pogacar, Vingegaard and Lafay are the strongest
view allshow allarrow-circle stagedatetyperidestart-finishoverallwinnerleader101/07 12:53road racesemi mountain stageBilbao – Bilbao182 kmYatesYates202/07 12:32road racesemi mountain stageVitoria-Gasteiz – San Sebastian208.9 kmLafayYates303/07 13:14road raceAmorebieta-Etxano – Bay onne193.5 kmstill 171.11 km404/07 13: 20road raceDax – Nogaro181.8 km505/07 13:25road racemountain stagePau – Laruns162.7 km606/07 13:25road racemountain stageTarbes – Cauterets-Cambasque144.9 km707/07 13:30road raceMont-de-Marsan – Bordeaux169.9 km808/07 12:45road race Libourne – Limoges200, 7 km909/07 13:45road racemountain stageSaint-Léonard-de-Noblat – Puy de Dôme182.4 km1011/07 13:20road racemountain stageVulcania – Issoire167.2 km1112/07 13:25road raceClermont-Ferrand – Moulins179.8 km1213/07 13:20road competition semi mountain stage Roanne – Belleville -en-Beaujolais168.8 km1314/07 13:55road racemountain stageChâtillon-sur-Chalaronne – Col du Grand Colombier137.8 km1415/07 13:20road racemountain stageAnnemasse – Morzine151.8 km1516/07 13:20road racemountain stageLes Gets – Le Bettex179 km161 8/07 13:05individual time trial semi mountain stagePassy – Combloux22.4 km1719/07 12:30road racemountain stageSaint-Gervais Mont-Blanc – Courchevel165.7 km1820/07 13:35road raceMoûtiers – Bourg-en-Bresse184.9 km1921/07 13:30road raceMoirans-en-Montagne – Poligny172.8 km20 22/ 07 13:45road racemountain stageBelfort – Le Markstein133.5 km2123/07 16:40road raceSaint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – Paris115.1 km
