Sixth seasonal victory for Matthew Brennan (fourth with the world tour team)! At the finish line in Fribourg, after 196 kilometers of the first stage of the Tour de Romandie, the British rider born in 2005 from Visma Lease a Bike decisively beat Aurélien Paret-Peintre, French rider from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, and Artem Shmidt, an American from Ineos Grenadiers.

The winning sprint allows Brennan to earn 10" of bonus and leap to the top of the general classification ahead of Watson and Oliveira.

Five men enlivened the first stage of the Swiss race: Belgian Gerben Kuypers (Intermarchè – Wanty), German Ben Zwiehoff (Red Bull - BORA – hansgrohe), Swiss Silvan Dillier (Alpecin – Deceuninck), Frenchman Enzo Paleni (Groupama – FDJ) and Eritrean Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Lidl – Trek). Breaking away from the peloton around the tenth kilometer, the attackers pedaled in agreement, climbing two of the day's three climbs together. Then, approaching the Col des Pontins, Zwiehoff detached himself from his companions and continued solo for a while before being caught again by Kuypers.

The 25-year-old Belgian then anticipated the German at the Salavaux Intermediate Sprint where the peloton, led by young Tijmen Graat (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), arrived 1'00" behind.

The two escapees' action was neutralized 24 kilometers from the finish, when INEOS Grenadiers recompacted the group. In the final moments of the race, among long avenues and many roundabouts, the trains of various teams entered into action to position their leaders ahead of the slight final climb that nonetheless did not prevent the fast wheels from contesting the victory.

Paret-Peintre's second place somewhat softens a Tour de Romandie that has not been particularly fortunate for the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team: after the withdrawal of Vendrame, who did not start in yesterday's prologue, today the French team also had to say goodbye to Léo Bisiaux who did not present himself at the start in Münchenstein due to an illness.

FINISH ORDER

1 BRENNAN Matthew Team Visma | Lease a Bike 10" 04:42:32

2 PARET-PEINTRE Aurélien Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team 6" ,,

3 SHMIDT Artem INEOS Grenadiers 4" ,,

4 ARTZ Huub Intermarchè - Wanty ,,

5 VENTURINI Clément Arkéa - B&B Hotels ,,

6 ONLEY Oscar Team Picnic PostNL ,,

7 CHAMPOUSSIN Clément XDS Astana Team ,,

8 MENTEN Milan Lotto ,,

9 DEBRUYNE Ramses Alpecin - Deceuninck ,,

10 SWIFT Ben INEOS Grenadiers ,,

11 ROMEO Iván Movistar Team ,,

12 BAUDIN Alex EF Education - EasyPost ,,

13 MOLLEMA Bauke Lidl - Trek ,,

14 OLIVEIRA Ivo UAE Team Emirates - XRG ,,

15 HAIG Jack Bahrain - Victorious ,,