Jonas Vingegaard seized an early advantage in the Tour de France, gaining 39 seconds on key rivals Remco Evenepoel, Primoz Roglic and João Almeida during a windy Stage 1. Vingegaard’s Visma team executed a plan to split the peloton in crosswinds with 25 kilometers remaining, leaving his competitors struggling behind.

Vingegaard expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance and emphasized their strategic use of the crosswinds. Riding in echelon formation provided shelter and allowed them to increase the pace, widening the gap with the chasing group.

The stage was described as stressful due to the strong crosswinds, which ultimately led to the decisive split in the field. Vingegaard also unexpectedly claimed a mountain point on a category 4 climb, attributing it to his position at the front and a lack of competition for the point.

Vingegaard highlighted the significance of gaining time on his rivals early in the race, considering it a “really good day” for his overall campaign.