"It doesn’t happen every day that I beat him" - Dorian Godon stronger than Pogacar and the rest at Romandie prologue

On the day that INEOS Grenadiers announced a new sponsor in Netcompany with the ambition of winning the Tour de France, they might have received the best symbolic sign they could've hoped for as Dorian Godon won the prologue at the Tour de Romandie; rare instance in which Tadej Pogacar was beaten fair and square.

The Frenchman put in the time trial effort of his life to win the first stage of the Swiss race, a 3-kilometer long prologue which was virtually half downhill and half uphill. On paper, Godon isn't the best time trialing, but prologues are much more explosive efforts, where the small details matter more.

The Frenchman net every possible aspect to take a win that although might not be the most reputable, is certainly the most impressive of his spring. He had a 6-second lead over second place Ivo Oliveira - Whilst Oliveira had the same gap back to 13th place Maxime Decomble.

Tadej Pogacar settled with fifth, but was nowhere near the win against Godon's goliath time at the finish line. “It doesn’t happen every day that I beat him; there aren’t that many chances per year".

"He probably took just slightly fewer risks than I did today, but I am very happy with my performance. I felt confident all day, but of course, it was a matter of waiting until the last rider finished. Everyone had the same conditions, so it was a fair fight.”

“There shouldn’t just be time trials of 20, 30, or 40 kilometers. I really love these kinds of explosive efforts. I took the corners full throttle and took some risks," the INEOS rider admits. He was without a doubt one of the British team's best performers of the spring, winning stages at Paris-Nice, Volta a Catalunya, and now a third World Tour race.

"The goal was to at least try to win a stage in the Tour of Romandie. The course is very tough this year, so we have to see what is still achievable, but it is already a success," he assures. Whilst he will have a good opportunity in the one stage that can end in a sprint; INEOS can now put their full focus on Oscar Onley and Carlos Rodriguez' overall classification ambitions which begin to take serious shape on tomorrow's stage 1.

"I am also very happy to wear the yellow jersey. I already had it in the Volta a Catalunya; it has been a super year for me so far. Stage win in Paris-Nice, the team time trial there, two stages in Catalunya, and now this," he concluded.