Romain Grégoire lit up a rain-soaked start to the Tour de Suisse. The 22-year-old Frenchman rode with precision on slick roads. He attacked hard on the final descent and claimed a solo win. With that move, he also took the leader’s red jersey on day one.
The opening stage covered 129.4 km around Lake Lucerne. Riders faced almost 2,000 m of climbing split across four named ascents. Rain fell steadily, making every turn treacherous. A large group of sixteen broke clear early and worked smoothly. They built a lead of more than three minutes over the peloton.
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The peloton kept the gap in check but couldn’t shut it down before the brutal Michaelskreuz climb. That ascent averages 9 % over 3.9 km and proved decisive. By the top, only four riders remained off the front: Grégoire, former world champion Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor), Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) and Bart Lemmen (Visma–Lease a Bike).
With 14 km to go, Grégoire made his move. He blitzed the wet descent, weaving past low-hanging branches and slippery guardrails. He nearly clipped a camera motorbike as he dropped away from his rivals. His skill on the technical sections won him the day. Grégoire crossed the line in Küssnacht 20 seconds ahead of Vauquelin. Lemmen followed six seconds later.
“Winning at WorldTour level is always special,” Grégoire said. “The team did great work all day. I stayed calm on the descent. I’m proud of how I rode.”
Grégoire’s triumph also puts him atop the young rider standings and into the points lead. Behind him, Lemmen rounded out the podium, with Alaphilippe taking fourth after a late chase. The main bunch trailed by over three minutes, which puts pressure on the favorites in the coming days.
Stage 1 Top Three
- Romain Grégoire (FRA) Groupama-FDJ, 3 h 27 m 54 s
- Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkéa-B&B Hotels, + 20 s
- Bart Lemmen (NED) Visma–Lease a Bike, + 26 s
What’s Next?
Monday’s stage runs 177 km from Aarau to Schwarzsee. It features five categorised climbs, including the steep Wasserflue (4 km at 9.3 %). Expect attacks over the final plateau before a twisting descent into the finish town. With rain still likely, the technical sections could once again decide the day. GC contenders will need to be both bold and cautious. Stay tuned for more thrilling racing.
Photo – Equipe cycliste Groupama-FDJ
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