"I had a better feeling than in the Dauphine" - Remco Evenepoel smooth sails through the opening stage of Tour de France

Like most GC riders, Remco Evenepoel never got into trouble in the tough opening stage of the Tour de France. The Soudal - Quick-Step leader finished safely in the peloton with all the favorites, five seconds behind the team dsm-firmenich PostNL duo.

"I had a good feeling overall. Better than in the Dauphiné, that is already positive," Evenepoel told VTM. "I felt it immediately, I don't have to draw a picture of that. You will notice this when your legs turn better and you can ride uphill more easily. I also felt more confident on the bike for wringing. That's my story today."

For Evenepoel it was his first Tour stage ever. Did he feel much difference in terms of hectic pace? "In the beginning, anyway. But I have already gained experience in nervous races. Overall, I can't complain with the positioning feel. I'm just happy."

Although he could not yet compare himself to the level of the other GC riders, because they simply have not tested themselves in Rimini yet. "What I thought this morning has come true, that riders like Van Aert and Pedersen could survive. There are still two riders ahead, if that does not happen Wout will simply have yellow. It was a first stage that the good classic riders could also survive. I am not really looking too much at the other favorites yet," he concludes.