“There were echelons and the race split with about 25km to go,” Groves said.

The pack of riders (peloton) cycles during the 1st stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 184.9 km starting and finishing in Lille Metropole, northern France. Source: AFP / Anne-Christine Poujoulat

“That’s what we expected actually, and we had numbers in the front [group] who could dictate the race.”

“The team did amazing and in the end we could just use our strength and finish it off.”

How the Stage 1 race unfolded

The 28-year-old grew up in a remote fishing community, racing into strong winds on the coastal roads in Denmark.

Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (middle) and Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard (right) await the start of the 1st stage. Source: AFP / Marco Bertorello

Defending champion Pogacar appeared flustered at the finish line.

“We were asleep, we thought any danger was over,” Evenepoel said of the split where both he and his team’s sprinter Tim Merlier found themselves trapped just 20km from the finish.

Belgian Remco Evenepoel of Soudal Quick-Step pictured at the start of the first stage. Source: AFP / Jasper Jacobs

Around 40 riders in the first group contested the sprint where one of the day’s many falls happened.

Africa’s sole rider Biniam Girmay, winner of three stages in 2024, was second on the day as Philipsen got ahead of him with 100m to go.

Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay celebrates on the podium with the best young rider’s white jersey after the 1st stage. Source: AFP / Loic Venance

But Girmay, winner of the 2024 best sprinter’s green jersey, ended the stage with the white jersey for the best 25-and-under rider.

Under overcast skies with the temperature a manageable 22C, the peloton cut a fast pace despite the windy conditions.