VINGEGAARD TAKES YELLOW JERSEY IN TOUR DE FRANCE OPENING STAGE

Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark won the opening stage of the Tour de France, a team time trial held in Barcelona. Vingegaard completed the 19.6-kilometre course in 21 minutes and 47 seconds, finishing eight seconds ahead of Filippo Ganna of Ineos Cycling. Tadej Pogacar finished third, 12 seconds behind Vingegaard, for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. The opening stage was the Tour's first team time trial in seven years.

Teams competed in a chain formation designed to shield their lead rider from wind resistance, with each squad's seven support riders eventually dropping back to allow their team leader to cross the line alone. Vingegaard, a time trial specialist, returned to competition after suffering a serious crash in 2024 that caused lung injuries. Since his recovery, Vingegaard won the Giro d'Italia in May by more than five minutes and the Vuelta a España last year. Vingegaard stated that taking the yellow jersey was "the perfect start" and described the experience as "something special" after recent years of setbacks.

Pogacar, 27, is attempting to become the fifth rider to equal the record for most Tour de France victories, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain. Vingegaard is widely regarded as the primary challenger capable of preventing Pogacar from winning a fifth Tour. Remco Evenepoel of Belgium finished fifth in the stage, 19 seconds down, competing for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.