LAMPAERT WINS TOUR OPENING TIME TRIAL

Yves Lampaert took the first yellow jersey of the 109th Tour de France with victory in a damp opening time trial in Copenhagen.

The Belgian, riding for QuickStep-Alpha Vinyl, completed the 13.2km course around the Danish capital, made treacherous by the miserable conditions, in a time of 15 minutes 17 seconds to win by five seconds from Wout Van Aert.

Defending champion Tadej Pogacar was a further two seconds back in third place as he took nine seconds out of rival Primoz Roglic.

Adam Yates and Tour debutant Tom Pidcock impressed on their return from Covid-19, with the Ineos Grenadiers pair 13th and 15th, 16 and 17 seconds off Pogacar’s time respectively.

Team-mate Geraint Thomas, who rode the stage in a gilet after forgetting to take it off before the start, was one second further back.

The 31-year-old Lampaert, who was disqualified from the Tour of Belgium for barging Tim Wellens only two weeks ago, was in tears at the end as his first Tour victory was confirmed.

“My mind is exploding,” he said. “I thought a top 10 would be great and now I beat all the best riders in the world. I’m just a farmer’s son from Belgium. To do this, I never expected it.”

Given the huge lengths teams go to in perfecting their skin suits for time trials, Thomas’ wardrobe error would have been a costly one, and the 2018 champion was also frustrated with the way he rode the first half of the stage as worries about the weather got inside his head.

“I think that was the worst cornering I’ve ever done in a time trial,” the Welshman said. “This felt so bitty, stop and start. When I heard the time gaps I thought, ‘Sod it, just race’ and then I went better.

“The legs were good anyway but it’s a shame about that blinking gilet.”