Bardet wins hot and hilly opening Tour de France stage in Italy while Cavendish struggles
France's Romain Bardet, front, and teammate Netherlands' Frank van den Broek ride breakaway during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 206 kilometers (128 miles) with start in Florence and finish in Rimini, Italy, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jerome Delay]
RIMINI, Italy (AP) — Two-time podium finisher Romain Bardet has won the opening stage of the Tour de France and claimed the yellow jersey as cycling’s biggest race began in Italy for the first time. One of the most challenging opening legs in recent memory created problems for Mark Cavendish and many other riders on Saturday. But in the extreme heat, favorites Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard both finished safely in the main pack. Bardet attacked with slightly more than 50 kilometers to go and caught up with his DSM-Firmenich PostNL teammate Frank van den Broek and the pair just barely held off the onrushing peloton in the flat finish.
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France's Romain Bardet, right, crosses the finish line with teammate Netherlands' Frank van den Broek, left, to win the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 206 kilometers (128 miles) with start in Florence and finish in Rimini, Italy, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Daniel Cole