Van Aert colors the stage with a monster flight, but Pogacar takes over the yellow after an impressive uphill sprint | Instagram VTM NEWS

A start in Binche in Belgium. A chat with the greatest, Eddy Merckx. The yellow still around the shoulders after yesterday’s hectic cobblestone ride. Would that have been the sources of inspiration for Wout van Aert for a day of racing from the old box? It has to be, because our compatriot was ubiquitous in the race story from the start. While the muddling Mathieu van der Poel was soon driven out of the wheels, Van Aert impressed countless times at the front of the peloton. Quick turn here, speed up there. To lick your thumbs and fingers.

Partly due to Van Aert’s beating, the riders achieved a dizzying average of 52.5 (!) kilometers per hour in the first hour of the race – and that in the longest stage of this Tour. Still, it would take almost 80 kilometers before Van Aert managed to break away from the peloton. Only Jakob Fuglsang and Quinn Simmons had the courage to go on an adventure with the yellow man. In the peloton they had been aware for a long time that they could catch their breath relatively, Tadej Pogacar took his responsibility after a while by putting his teammates in the lead.

Van Aert had already left a bold, yellow stamp on the stage, but with barely two companions he was faced with a major assignment. Especially since in the pursuit UAE soon got the support of Alpecin-Deceuninck, BORA-hansgrohe and EF Education-EasyPost. Fuglsang was the first to see the futility of the undertaking and, after an ostentatious pee, dropped down to the peloton. Van Aert and Simmons still had to manage more than 60 kilometers together.

The duo was able to push the peloton to its limits for a long time, but at 30 kilometers from the end the candle of the American went out. Van Aert was so alone. And although Van Aert is a phenomenon, he cannot perform miracles either. In the hilly final the legs were gradually empty and the chasing peloton made up for the terrain at a rapid pace. At 11 kilometers from the end, Van Aert was caught up and immediately left behind by the favorites – a worthy goodbye to the yellow. Cheers, Wout. Hat off.

In addition to the yellow, the stage victory was of course also at stake. Alexis Vuillermoz tried to play on the surprise, but it would be the GC guys who would be allowed to battle it out on the slippery finish in Longwy. Primoz Roglic bounced right after his bad day yesterday and started first, but was outflanked by compatriot Pogacar. The Slovenian phenomenon sprinted everyone to lengths and so hit a double. A cursing Michael Matthews finished second, just like in 2017, David Gaudu finished third.

Thanks to his impressive sprint uphill, Pogacar takes control of the Tour even before the mountains. Tomorrow the first real uphill finish will be on the menu with La Superplanche des Belles Filles. Vingegaard and co have already been warned – Pogacar is more than okay again. “It was a crazy start, one of the craziest I’ve ever had,” said the day’s winner. “With Van Aert, one of the three strongest riders in the world was in the breakaway, but the team believed in me and wanted to ride. I am super happy that I was able to win.”

Tomorrow, Pogacar will head to La Planche des Belles Filles for the first time since 2020, where he then achieved the turnaround of the century by cycling Primoz Roglic out of yellow with a phenomenal time trial. “I have good memories of it, hopefully it stays that way,” he grinned. “That I’ve gotten even better? I think I have gradually reached my peak in terms of sheer strength, but above all I am still gaining more experience and confidence. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Hopefully I can defend the yellow.”