A closely contested sprint decided the outcome of the opening stage of the Tour du Limousin-Périgord - Nouvelle Aquitaine, held from Veyrac to Dun-le-Palestel over a distance of 174.9 km: Noa Isidore of Decathlon CMA CGM crossed the line first, securing his maiden victory in the top category. Belgian Depuydt finished second, followed by Frenchmen Page and Gautherat, and Spanish rider Aranburu, who had been tipped as the day's main favorite.

THE RACE. The opening stage was characterized by a five-man breakaway initiated by Clément Davy (Nice Metropole), Maximilien Juillard (Velo Club Villefranche Beaujolais), Antoine Berger (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber 93), Jean-Louis Le Ny (Veloce Club Rouen 76) and Joonas Puuraid (Bike Aid), whose attempt was reeled in only in the final twenty kilometers, when the action intensified on the rolling terrain of the closing section. There were numerous attacking attempts, but none proved decisive, and the sprint, as mentioned, rewarded Isidore.

FINAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Isidore Noa (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) in 03:57:48
2. Depuydt Daan (Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions)
3. Page Hugo (Cofidis)
4. Gautherat Pierre (Decathlon CMA CGM Team)
5. Aranburu Alex (Cofidis)
6. Vadic Baptiste (Team TotalEnergies)
7. Delettre Alexandre (Team TotalEnergies)
8. Guglielmi Simon (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93)
9. Donnenwirth Tom (Groupama-FDJ United)
10. Le Berre Mathis (Team TotalEnergies)