Yves Lampaert won stage one of the 2022 Tour de France. Lampaert averaged 32.17mph over a damp 8.2 mile opening time-trial in Copenhagen to finish in 15:17. Slick conditions were the theme for the day as constant rain made the tight city streets treacherous, with several crashes throughout the stage. Wout Van Aert finished five seconds back with two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar in third at 15:24 and time-trial world champion Filippo Ganna in fourth at 15:27. Lampaert is a two-time Belgian time-trial champion and finished second behind Remco Evenepoel at the national championships last weekend. It’s a positive start for the Quick Step team which has been scrutinized after denying Mark Cavendish a roster spot for an attempt to break the Tour de France stage win record.

Saturday’s stage two runs 126 miles from Roskilde to Nyborg along verdant roads adjacent to fjords, culminating with a 12 mile crossing of the Great Belt Bridge where an equally tense struggle for the lead is expected. Some 12 million cars and trucks cross the bridge each year but the 176-strong peloton is liable to be subject to strong crosswinds on the sea crossing. Sunday’s final day in Denmark is a 113 mile run from Vejl to Sonderborg, a city that boasts more than 180 miles of bike paths in a nation where five times more journeys are made by bicycle than by car.

TOUR DE FRANCE 2022 NEWS

2022 TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE 1 RESULTS

1	Yves LAMPAERT	Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team	15:17
2	Wout VAN AERT	Jumbo-Visma	0:05
3	Tadej POGACAR	UAE Team Emirates	0:07
4	Filippo GANNA	INEOS Grenadiers	0:10
5	Mathieu VAN DER POEL	Alpecin-Deceuninck	0:13
6	Mads PEDERSEN	Trek – Segafredo	0:15
7	Jonas VINGEGAARD	Jumbo-Visma	0:15
8	Primoz ROGLIC	Jumbo-Visma	0:16
9	Bauke MOLLEMA	Trek – Segafredo	0:17
10	Dylan TEUNS	Bahrain – Victorious	0:20

 

RBA/AFP Photos: Sprint Cycling Agency