In the year of his possible retirement from high-level cycling, and after 11 participations in the Tour de France, Romain Bardet (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) wore the yellow jersey that distinguishes the leader of the prestigious race for the first time.
In the opening stage of the 111th edition of the Grande Boucle, a 206-kilometre race from Florence to Rimini in Italy, 33-year-old Bardet, supported by his teammate, Dutchman Frank van den Broek, was rewarded for his bravery after breaking away from the main group 50 kilometres from the finish.
With the peloton in their shadow, Bardet and Van den Broek managed to cross the finish line in first and second place, with a time of 5 hours, 7 minutes and 22 seconds in a stage that included 3,600 metres of positive gradient and seven mountain passes. Third, 5 seconds behind, was Belgian Wout van Aert (Team Visma) and fourth was the great favourite for the title, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates).
With the same difference, the Colombian came in 12th place Egan Bernal (Ineos), as well as Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain), in position 47.
This Sunday, on the second day, the 200-kilometre race will take place between Cesenatico, the town where Marco Pantani grew up, who died 20 years ago and who won the Giro and Tour in 1998, and the city of Bologna.
