Yves Lampaert won the individual time trial in Copenhagen at the start of the Tour de France and captured the first yellow jersey.
The 31-year-old from Team Quick-Step set the best time on Friday (July 1st, 2022) over 13.2 kilometers on the street circuit in rainy Copenhagen in 15:17.72 minutes and was almost five seconds faster than his compatriot in the end Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma).
Overpowered Lampaert in the yellow jersey
Lampaert is the 54th Belgian in the history of the Tour of France to wear the yellow jersey. “My head explodes. I came expecting top ten and now I’ve beaten the best riders in the world. I’m just a farmer’s son from Belgium. I did not expect this“, said Lampaert after his first Grand Tour win, overwhelmed with emotion and with tears in his eyes.
Pogacar gains first seconds on competitors
Tour favorite Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), winner of the past two years, finished third, seven seconds back. In treacherous conditions on mirror-smooth asphalt, Pogacar did not take the very last risk, but it was enough to take the first few seconds ahead of his competitors for overall victory. His greatest adversary Primoz Roglic is nine seconds behind, last year’s second Jonas Vingegaard a second less. Alexander Vlasov, captain of the German team Bora-hansgrohe, was 24 seconds slower than Pogacar.
Four-time Tour champion Chris Froome experienced a disaster with 1:13 and France’s favorite Thibaut Pinot with 1:18 minutes behind Pogacar.
The best German was the German champion Lennard Kämna (Wedel/Bora-hansgrohe) in 19th place.”I drove relatively cautiously at first and must have left something behind, but I can be satisfied“said Bora professional Kämna, who was 25 seconds behind Lampaert.
All in all, the German pros were particularly happy to have been spared falls in the water fight in Copenhagen, only Jonasrutsch got it.
Overall, Kämna’s teammate Max Schachmann, who finished blind flying in 27th place, was also satisfied. “I shouldn’t have driven without a visor, that wasn’t wise“, said the Berliner: “Nothing is won, but nothing is lost either.”