Kévin Vauquelin‘s 2026 Tour de France got off to an unlucky start in Barcelona as the 2025 seventh-place finisher suffered a puncture in the opening team time trial.
The Frenchman was racing as part of Netcompany Ineos‘ eight-man squad on the 19.6km course, with the British team going quicker than everyone else through the three checkpoints before the finish.
However, in the latter part of the stage, Vauquelin’s rear tyre was clearly deflating, and with no chance to stop and change wheels, he was dropped by his teammates with just over 5km left to race.
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It wasn’t a good day for Egan Bernal either, as the 2019 Tour winner also lost contact with his Ineos teammates before the finish.
It wasn’t all bad news for Netcompany Ineos, however.
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Filippo Ganna was led into the final climb by Tobias Foss before setting off alone to the line, sweeping through the finish. to record the provisional fastest time of the day.
That time of 21:55 was almost 30 seconds quicker than any other team to that point, including previous provisional leaders Alpecin-Premier Tech.
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Vauquelin, meanwhile, would cross the line 1:06 behind Ganna, unfortunately shedding precious time on the very first day of the race.
“It was a tough one, really, with Kévin’s puncture,” said Netcompany Ineos director of racing Geraint Thomas after the stage.
“He was our guy to finish off. He was the one that was going to – well, he was sitting on to sort of save the legs for that last effort. But the way the boys responded to that, and all you know, adapted to the plan, was really good to see. Pippo – fair play to him.
“We wanted him to empty the tank by the top of the first climb, and he had to finish it off, you know. Fossey as well. Well, all the boys, you know, they all adapted to it. But I said earlier today, you have your plan, it’ll never go to plan. It’s how you adapt to it.
“It’s just a shame to lose Kévin with that puncture. I feel for him, because he hasn’t had much luck this year, but it’s the way it is, and I think everyone, like I say, did what they could in the moment.”
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