“I’m really disappointed” - Tobias Lund Andresen comes agonisingly close to Maglia Rosa in chaotic Giro d’Italia opener

Tobias Lund Andresen was left wondering what might have been after coming desperately close to both the Maglia Rosa and the biggest win of his career on the opening stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia in Burgas.

The Decathlon CMA CGM rider finished second behind Paul Magnier after a chaotic and crash-marred sprint finale split the peloton inside the final kilometre, with Ethan Vernon completing the podium behind the two young sprinters.

Speaking afterwards in conversation with Cycling Pro Net, Lund Andresen admitted the disappointment was immediate after feeling the stage had unfolded almost exactly as he and his team had expected beforehand. “I must say my team did exactly what I wanted to,” Lund Andresen explained. “As I expected there was everything crazy, so I lost the wheel a bit, but yeah, we all stuck to the plan and did it.”

The Dane had warned before the stage that the finale into Burgas could become chaotic despite the relatively straightforward profile of the opening day in Bulgaria. That prediction proved accurate as the sprint trains fought aggressively for position approaching the final corner, before a heavy crash split the bunch inside the final kilometre.

Lund Andresen believed the only realistic way to beat the pure sprinters on the stage was to launch early and catch them slightly out of position rather than wait for a traditional drag race to the line. “I said I wanted the early sprint,” he explained. “I needed to beat these guys faster than me. I had to come from behind.”

That almost worked perfectly. Lund Andresen surged into contention as the sprint exploded following the late crash, but Magnier managed to stay with him before coming around for the stage victory and the first pink jersey of the race. “If nobody had been on my wheel, I would have won,” Lund Andresen said. “So yeah… I’m really disappointed.”

Asked specifically who had managed to follow him in the decisive moment, the Dane pointed directly toward the two riders who ultimately finished ahead of him. “Milan was there and Magnier was there,” he said. “He was strong.”

Lund Andresen also gave his view on the late crash that disrupted the finale, although he admitted he only saw the incident unfold beside him during the sprint. “It was just on my right side,” he explained. “I mean, what happens is everyone is crazy.”

The 22-year-old suggested the level of aggression inside the peloton had been building throughout the run into Burgas as teams fought for control before the first Grand Tour sprint of the season. “Just as I expected, there were a lot of elbows being given,” Lund Andresen said. “So it’s inevitable.”

While the stage victory and Maglia Rosa ultimately slipped away, the performance still marked an impressive opening statement from Lund Andresen, who showed throughout the finale that he has both the speed and positioning to challenge the biggest sprint names at this year’s Giro d’Italia.