With this fifth success in eight days of racing this season, the leader of the Jumbo-Visma, already imperial on Tirreno-Adriatico, takes control of the general classification thanks to the bonus game, four seconds ahead of Evenepoel.

We were rather waiting for the sprinters on this first stage arriving at the end of a long straight in false flat rising, like Bryan Coquard, comfortable in this exercise (10th finally).

But the two ogres, at the front of the peloton to avoid the many breaks that delayed Egan Bernal and Richard Carapaz in the final, did not want to let go. Stuck on their bikes, they gave everything and, as a sign of his motivation, Evenepoel tapped his handlebars in spite at the finish after narrowly failing.

"I thought why not sprint. It was the first time against Primoz, we have a similar speed peak. I could have won, it's a shame to make two," lamented the Belgian Soudal Quick-Step world champion.

"It's crazy, we always hope to win, my team did a great job and I had good legs at the end," said Roglic, winner after a 164.5km loop around Sant Feliu de Guíxols, the city where Italian Sonny Colbrelli suffered a heart attack last year that would lead him to end his career.

The stage was marked by a violent fall five kilometers from the finish involving several riders, while the peloton was launched at full speed in a descent in false flat. Adam Yates, the leader of UAE, notably fell but he managed to rally the line, all grated.

Roglic and Evenepoel, who are engaged in their only face-off in Catalonia before their expected duel at the Giro d'Italia in May, will continue to compete on Tuesday in a second stage that already climbs very high, with three climbs listed, including the one, out of category, which leads to Vallter, where the finish will be judged at 2,135 m.

The classification of the 1st stage:

1. PrimoZ Roglic (SLO/JUM) 164.6 km in 3 h 48:17 (average: 43.3 km/h)

2. Remco Evenepoel (BEL/QST) m.t.

3. Ide Schelling (NED/BOR) m.t.

4. Maxim Van Gils (BEL/LOT) m.t.

5. Giulio Ciccone (ITA/TRE) m.t.

The general classification:

1. Primoz Roglic (SLO/Jumbo) 3:48:11.

2. Remco Evenepoel (BEL/QST) at 04.

3. Ide Schelling (NED/BOR) 06.

4. Maxim Van Gils (BEL/LOT) 10.

5. Giulio Ciccone (ITA/TRE) m.t.

© 2023 AFP