Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team continues to make its mark on the 2024 season. Dorian Godon and Andrea Vendrame won the first stage of the Tour de Romandie with an overwhelming victory in the final sprint in Fribourg. Godon thus achieved his first World Tour victory and became the leader of the Swiss race.
After third in the Clásica de Jaén and second in the last stage of the Volta a Catalunya, the Frenchman achieved the first major victory of his career. This is the eleventh victory of the year for the French squad, which has been perfectly suited to Van Rysel bikes.
Decathlon solved the sprint with a brutal solvency and did not give their rivals a chance. The leader after the prologue, Maikel Zijlaard, was left at the first change, and six good riders including Raul Garcia Pierna left until nine kilometers to go.
Alaphilippe (Soudal), Patrick Gamper (BORA) or Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny) tried to get away at the climax, but failed to distance a peloton led by Movistar Team. Álex Aranburu finished seventh and is fifth overall, 11 seconds behind Godon.
As for the seven Colombians in competition, Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan Team) was the best of the Colombians in 30th place. While Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) was 56th, both with the same time as the winner.
The Tour de Romandie will continue this Thursday with the dispute of its second stage, of 171 kilometers starting in Fribourg and finishing high in Les Marecottes after 2,716 meters of accumulated altitude difference.
Tour de Romandie 2024 (2.UWT)
Results Stage 1 | Château d’Oex – Fribourg (165,7 km)
| 1 | Dorian Godon | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 3:49:58 |
| 2 | Andrea Vendrame | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | ,, |
| 3 | Gianni Vermeersch | Alpecin – Deceuninck | ,, |
| 4 | Milan Menten | Lotto Dstny | ,, |
| 5 | Kasper Asgreen | Soudal Quick-Step | ,, |
| 6 | Matevž Govekar | Bahrain – Victorious | ,, |
| 7 | Alex Aranburu | Movistar Team | ,, |
| 8 | Clément Venturini | Arkéa – B&B Hotels | ,, |
| 9 | Thibaud Gruel | Groupama – FDJ | ,, |
| 10 | Kobe Goossens | Intermarché – Wanty | ,, |
Ranking General
| 1 | Dorian Godon | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 3:52:46 |
| 2 | Gianni Vermeersch | Alpecin – Deceuninck | 0:06 |
| 3 | Julian Alaphilippe | Soudal Quick-Step | 0:09 |
| 4 | Tim van Dijke | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 0:10 |
| 5 | Alex Aranburu | Movistar Team | 0:11 |
| 6 | Antoine Aebi | Swiss Cycling | ,, |
| 7 | Jan Christen | UAE Team Emirates | ,, |
| 8 | Ilan Van Wilder | Soudal Quick-Step | ,, |
| 9 | Andrea Vendrame | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 0:12 |
| 10 | Matevž Govekar | Bahrain – Victorious | ,, |