Lampaert shocks 'big guys' in Tour de France opener

Belgian Yves Lampaert won the first stage of the Tour de France on Friday, gate-crashing the opening day individual time-trial as crowds defied the rain along the 13.2km route in downtown Copenhagen.

Quick-Step rider Lampaert suffered less from the rain with a later start than the pre-race favourites, finishing five seconds ahead of compatriot Wout van Aert, with defending champion Tadej Pogacar third best seven seconds off the pace.

Massive crowds packed the route in the Danish capital with cheers reverberating around the city as riders sped past the Little Mermaid statue, the harbour-front Blox building and the Amalienborg palace, where Crown Prince Frederik joined the celebration.

The 31-year-old Lampaert was overwhelmed with emotion when he realised he will wear the overall leader's yellow jersey on Saturday's second stage.

"I was hoping for a top ten, but not this," said the 2021 Belgian time-trial champion. 

"I beat the big guys."

Runner-up on the 2021 Tour, former fish-factory worker Jonas Vingegaard was cheered loudest as the 25-year-old local rider went for broke to finish just 8sec off Pogacar's time. 

His co-leader, former Vuelta a Espana winner Primoz Roglic of Slovenia, was only a second faster.