Vingegaard takes Tour de France yellow jersey after opening time trial win

Jonas Vingegaard seized the first yellow jersey of the Tour de France with a commanding performance in the opening time trial on Montjuïc hill in Barcelona. His Visma team secured the win, with Vingegaard calling it a "perfect start" to the race.

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the road to Paris is still very long.

The Danish rider spoke emotionally about the significance of wearing the yellow jersey again. "I have had difficult years for obvious reasons, but to return to the Tour, the biggest race in the world, and wear the yellow jersey is something special and I am going to enjoy it to the fullest," Vingegaard stated. He referenced a "terrible crash" in the Basque Country in 2024, recalling, "When I was lying on the ground, I thought I was dying. It was no longer a question of cycling, but simply of survival. By regaining the yellow jersey, I feel I can now close this chapter."

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I have had difficult years for obvious reasons, but to return to the Tour, the biggest race in the world, and wear the yellow jersey is something special and I am going to enjoy it to the fullest.

Despite Vingegaard's victory, Tadej Pogacar also delivered a strong performance. Individually, Pogacar was the fastest on the final climb, finishing three seconds ahead of Vingegaard. He praised his teammate Isaac del Toro's work and expressed satisfaction with his own climbing form. "The legs are responding well on the climbs. Isaac did an excellent job to bring me. Obviously, we always aim to win, but I think we have done a fantastic time trial," Pogacar commented.

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When I was lying on the ground, I thought I was dying. It was no longer a question of cycling, but simply of survival. By regaining the yellow jersey, I feel I can now close this chapter.

The second stage of the Tour will also finish atop Montjuïc, presenting a different and more challenging route than the opening time trial. Riders will race along the coast before entering Barcelona for a circuit that includes three ascents of the steep Montjuïc castle climb.

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The legs are responding well on the climbs. Isaac did an excellent job to bring me. Obviously, we always aim to win, but I think we have done a fantastic time trial.