Development Immediate celebration for Matys Grisel in stage 1 of Tour de Namur

A good start is half the battle. Between Vresse-sur-Semois and Gedinne, Matys Grisel (19) claimed the opening stage of the Tour de Namur. Grisel was part of an early breakaway with 14 other riders. "I hadn't specifically targeted the first stage beforehand," Grisel says. "On the contrary. With 3,000 meters of elevation gain, it was one of the hardest stages of the week. That's also one of the reasons I decided to join the break."

The front group worked well together and at one point gained two and a half minutes on the peloton. "Arne Baers, who also managed to slip into the same group, did an excellent job for me. He kept all the attacks under control and led me out perfectly. I knew I had a good sprint in my legs, so that gave me confidence. In the final corner, he was in the front and I was in second position. With 250 meters to go, I made my move. Without Arne and the rest of the team, I would never have won this. I really want to thank them for that."

With this victory, Matys Grisel secures his second win of the season. The Tour de Namur consists of five stages and concludes on Sunday. Tomorrow, the riders will face a stage starting and finishing in Couvin.

Picture: Alexis Dancerelle