“It is good to be back racing in Italy" - Romain Bardet 9th on opening stage of 2024 Tour of the Alps

Looking bright and attacking, Romain Bardet impressed on the opening stage of the 2024 Tour of the Alps. Although the stage win eluded him, a 9th-placed finish shows positive signs for the Frenchman.

“It is good to be back racing in Italy and it was a good opening stage for us I think," reflects the Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL leader in a post-stage interview with his own team's social media pages. "The guys rode well during the stage and we were there with numbers on the last climb. They positioned me well for the climb and going into the downhill, where I could lead the bunch on the descent."

After attacking on the descent towards the finish line, Bardet actually dragged an elite group clear with him. As the leaders neared the finale however, Bardet missed the counter-attacking move that eventually saw Tobias Foss secure his first win since moving to the INEOS Grenadiers.

"In the finish it was tactical and I almost managed to make it into the front group," concludes Bardet, who like many at the race, is using the Tour of the Alps as preparation for the upcoming Giro d'Italia. "It’s a good step for the upcoming days here.”