As it happened: French success at chaotic Tour de Suisse 2025 opener

Hello and welcome to CyclingNews' live report on stage one of the men's Tour de Suisse 2025.

The opening day for the men is the exact same stage the women have just finished in Küssnacht with the start and finish in the town after 129km of racing.

Coming into this race there is one big stand-out favourite for the overall. That is UAE Team Emirates-XRG's João Almeida. He has been in fine form this season and will hope that he, alongside Swiss star Jan Christen, that they can take back-to-back GC titles at this race after Adam Yates won last year.

Earlier today the women took on the same stage as the men are doing soon. It was a brutal battle and it ended with a solo victory after multiple attacks.

>>> Marlen Reusser seals 2025 Tour de Suisse Women victory with final day solo victory

The riders are due to roll out of Küssnacht in about 10 minutes time for the neutralised start.

Neutral start

The riders have rolled out and have started the neutralised zone for the opening stage of the 88th Tour de Suisse. The neutral zone is just 3.1km long today.

The women started the day in heavy rain with thunder and lightning but it quickly burnt off and it is now very bright and sunny with the temperature at 27°c.

The first climb comes very early on with the Adligenswilerstrasse being the snappy title for the category three ascent.

The start may be held a little longer as Luc Wirtgen (Tudor) has had a puncture.

129km to go

Racing begins and immediately the attacks come to try and form the early breakaway.

Split in peloton

Around 20 riders have a gap as they head over the top of the Adligenswilerstrasse climb. Multiple attacks have come but no real break has formed. But the pace is high, meaning the bunch has split.

KoM (Adligenswilerstrasse)

1. Pablo Castrillo (ESP) Movistar 3pts
2. Valentin Madouas (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 2pts
3. Tom Gloag (GBR) Visma-Lease a Bike 1pt

Attack!

Mathis Le Berre (Arkea-B&B Hotels)

The French rider has a small gap on the first peloton that still has a gap on the bunch that split on the Adligenswilerstrasse.

Le Berre is caught and the two pelotons come back together again as well. It is gruppo compacto again.

Puncture

James Knox (Soudal-QuickStep)

The British climber from Cumbria having a poorly timed flat as more attacks go off the front of the peloton.

Crash!

Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)

One of the home favourites for this race has gone down. Not the way the young Swiss rider will have wanted to start his race.

The riders are about to start the first ascent of the category two climb of the Michaelskreuzstrasse.

Attack

Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Simone Petilli (Intermarche-Wanty)
Pieter Serry (Soudal-QuickStep)
Felix Engelhardt (Jayco-AlUla)
Alex Edmondson (Picnic-PostNL)
Sjoerd Bax (Q36.5)
Marius Mayrhofer (Tudor)

But they are quickly swept back up by the peloton.

Jan Christen is back in the peloton after his earlier crash. A scary moment for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG man.

Riders are losing touch with the peloton on the Michaelskreuzstrasse climb.

There are several splits in the peloton now as the pace is very high.

Attack

Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor)
Felix Engelhardt (Jayco-AlUla)

100km to go

Leaders:

Alaphilippe (TUD)
Engelhardt (JAY)

Chasers +22":

Costiou (ARK)
Vauquelin (ARK)
Bilbao (TBV)
Kung (GFC)
Langellotti (IGD)
Lopez (LTK)
Simmons (LTK)
Castrillo (MOV)
Sobrero (RBH)
Benoot (TVL)
Bennett (IPT)
F. Christen (Q36)

Peloton +51"

Yet more attacks coming from the peloton. They are over the Michaelskreuzstrasse and are almost at the bottom of the descent with riders all over the course.

KoM (Michaelskreuzstrasse)

1. Engelhardt (GER) Jayco-AlUla 6pts
2. Alaphilippe (FRA) Tudor 4pts
3. Vauquelin (FRA) Arkea-B&B Hotels 3pts
4. Langellotti (MON) Ineos Grenadiers 2pts
5. Sobrero (ITA) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe 1pt

The chase group has been caught but new attacks come immediately led by Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Benoit Cosnesfroy (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) and Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) among others.

90km to go

Alaphilippe and Engelhardt still have a small lead on a very large chasing break. Then the main GC group that have slowed up now. It looks like the breakaway is set.

Race situation

Leaders:

Alaphilippe (TUD)
Engelhardt (JAY)

Chase +10":

Costiou (ARK)
Mohoric (TBV)
Van der Meulen (TBV)
Cosnesfroy (DAT)
Zimmerman (IWA)
Kamna (LTK)
Simmons (LTK)
Barta (MOV)
Barguil (TPP)
Durbridge (JAY)
Graat (TVL)
Conci (XAT)
Houle (IPT)
Badilatti (Q36)
Maisonobe (COF)
Vauquelin (ARK)
Le Berre (ARK)
+ a few others

Peloton +2'20"

There is a UAE Team Emirates-XRG and it is the very talented Felix Großschartner. He also has Antonio Morgado in there too, a rider who is perfect for today.

Tao Geoghegan-Hart (Lidl-Trek) is also in this lead group as Alaphilippe and Engelhardt are caught.

This is an extremely dangerous group of, at least, 27 riders. Could this be the race going up the road on day one of eight?

Ben O'Connor of Jayco-AlUla has made the split as well. One of the pre-race favourites is right at the pointy end, here.

Kevin Vauquelin also in there as a big danger. Felix Großschartner, Antonio Morgado, Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS-Astana) and others who absolutely could be involved in the GC at this race in the front group.

George Bennett (Israel-Premier Tech) is also in this front group.

Jan Christen looks to be really struggling with the pain of his road rash that he got from his crash all up his left side back in the peloton.

It is a long list of 28 riders at the front:

Großschartner (UAD)
Costiou (ARK)
Le Berre (ARK)
Vauquelin (ARK)
Maisonobe (COF)
Mohoric (TBV)
Kepplinger (TBV)
Cosnefroy (DAT)
Gregoire (GFC)
B. Swift (IGD)
Zimmerman (IWA)
Kamna (LTK)
Simmons (LTK)
Castrillo (MOV)
Barta (MOV)
Durbridge (JAY)
Engelhardt (JAY)
O'Connor (JAY)
Barguil (TPP)
Graat (TVL)
Lemmen (TVL)
Conci (XAT)
Fortunato (XAT)
Bennett (IPT)
Houle (IPT)
Badilatti (Q36)
Bax (Q36)
Alaphilippe (TUD)

There's definitely others in there.

Peloton +3'15"

70km to go

The gap continues to grow to 3'35" between the leaders and the chasing peloton.

It looks like the weather is closing in over the mountains and the riders may be about to get very wet as they head to the Tissot kilometre and return to the Adligenswilerstrasse and Michaelskreuzstrasse.

The peloton is led by UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Ineos Grenadiers, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Soudal-QuickStep and Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale as they scramble to salvage the situation.

The clouds have come and the temperature has dropped a bit from earlier with the sheets of rain looking rather ominous just ahead of them.

Tissot Sprint 1

1. Ben Swift (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers 3"
2. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Tudor 2"
3. Quinn Simmons (USA) Lidl-Trek 1"

The cameras did not show the result on Tissot Sprint 2.

The rain has come and immediately the signal is lost on the ground. It looks like they're riding into a big storm.

The graphics just showed that Simmons took the first Tissot Sprint but that didn't look to be the case from the shots shown. We shall wait for later this evening for those confirmed results.

Finally, the gap is starting to close between the leaders and the peloton. It is now at +3'28".

The rain is absolutely pouring it down on the riders now.

Crash in break

Quinn Simmons (LTK)

A few others were caught out but didn't go down. All back riding again. Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS-Astana) also caught up in the accident.

40km to go

The gap is closing between the leaders and the peloton but it isn't closing fast. They are currently +3'25" between each other.

Crash in peloton

Stefan Bissegger (DAT)
Anton Palzer (RBH)

Both back riding as far as we know.

Intermediate sprint (Küssnacht)

1. Mathis Le Berre (FRA) Arkea-B&B Hotels 6pts
2. Pablo Castrillo (ESP) Movistar 4pts
3. Matej Mohoric (SLO) Bahrain Victorious 2pts

Onto the Adligenswilerstrasse for the second time today. The category three climb was first ridden right at the start of the day.

Unsurprisingly, Jayco-AlUla are the main team working on the front of the break as they have Ben O'Connor in there. This could be a huge moment for the Australian climber.

Swift confirmed to have taken the first Tissot sprint ahead of Alaphilippe and Castrillo. The second Tissot sprint was taken by Simmons ahead of Alaphilippe and Swift.

So, Alaphilippe and Swift both take 4" bonus, 3" for Simmons and 1" for Castrillo.

30km to go

The peloton are finally inside three minutes but it appears to be too little too late. Although, the Michaelskreuzstrasse may see the likes of Almeida and Vlasov launch.

KoM (Adligenswilerstrasse)

1. Felix Engelhardt (GER) Jayco-AlUla 3pts
2. Matej Mohoric (SLO) Bahrain Victorious 2pts
3. Ben O'Connor (AUS) Jayco-AlUla 1pt

Jayco-AlUla are doing a superb job for O'Connor here to give him a huge opportunity for this race overall and just for the stage today.

There's been a split in the peloton on the descent but they are now just stitching it back together again.

20km to go

Just onto the final climb of the day, the second ascent of the Michaelskreuzstrasse. The break have 2'52" on the peloton.

Mohoric has been dropped from the breakaway after he worked hard for his teammate, Kepplinger. Simmons also losing touch along with Le Berre.

O'Connor takes up the pacing himself as he drives to try and get as much of a gap over the likes of Almeida back in the peloton as he possibly can.

Bax, Houle, Maisonobe and Graat all lose touch with the O'Connor led group.

Yet more riders go out of the back of the break with Conci, Barguil and Zimmerman the next to go out of the back.

The peloton are closing in on the break, though. They're just 2'28" down now.

Fortunato is now out of the back of the lead group as well. The Italian climber looks to be feeling it after a very successful Giro d'Italia where he took the mountains jersey.

Attack

Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor)

The Frenchman is looking like the vintage Alaphilippe but he has company with Vauquelin, Gregoire and Lemmen following.

O'Connor, Castrillo and Großschartner go after them.

Now only four riders out front:

Alaphilippe (Tudor)
Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels)
Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ)
Lemmen (Visma-Lease a Bike)

Attack

Vauquelin launches as they go over the top of the climb with Alaphilippe jumping after him. Lemmen and Gregoire looked to be able to follow as well.

Gregoire leads down the descent and has gapped his rivals with Alaphilippe losing touch with Lemmen and Vauquelin, surprisingly.

Romain Gregoire goes solo for Groupama-FDJ. Behind, Kevin Vauquelin is being forced to do most the work.

Julian Alaphilippe doesn't appear to want to help the chasing with Bart Lemmen finally taking a turn.

10km to go

Gregoire has just 7" on the chasing trio as Alaphilippe finally comes through to start working with Vauquelin and Lemmen.

They are now just on a little kicker before properly descending to the line. The chasing trio are just 4" off Gregoire with just under 8km to go.

Gregoire pushes on again and has pulled out more of a margin over his chasers but these roads are very slippy. He needs to be careful.

5km to go

Gregoire has 8" on the three chasers with 25" back to the next group. No clock on the peloton.

If he can keep it upright, Gregoire will be taking this stage. He is absolutely flying here with the chasers unable to close the gap.

3km to go

Romain Gregoire is now extending his advantage on Julian Alaphilippe, Bart Lemmen and Kevin Vauquelin.

Flamme Rouge!

It is going to be a superb victory for Gregoire with Alaphilippe almost certain to be in 2nd overall after his Tissot KM bonuses.

Romain Gregoire of Groupama-FDJ wins stage one of the Tour de Suisse 2025!

He holds an advantage of 20" on the three chasers led in by Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels).

O'Connor leads in the third group over a minute down. Not what he would've hoped for but he is well in the fight for the GC.

Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL), Felix Gall (Decathlon-AG2R), Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) and others losing over three minutes to Gregoire in the end.

Stage one top 10

1. Romain Gregoire (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 2:50'15"
2. Kevin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkea-B&B Hotels +20"
3. Bart Lemmen (NED) Visma-Lease a Bike
4. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Tudor all S.T.
5. Ben O'Connor (AUS) Jayco-AlUla +1'07"
6. Felix Großschartner (AUT) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
7. Pabl Castrllo (ESP) Movistar
8. Lennard Kamna (GER) Lidl-Trek
9. Rainer Kepplinger (AUT) Bahrain Victorious all S.T.
10. Nicola Conci (ITA) XDS-Astana +1'26"

GC after stage one

1. Romain Gregoire (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 2:50'05"
2. Kevin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkea-B&B Hotels +24"
3. Bart Lemmen (NED) Visma-Lease a Bike +26"
4. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Tudor S.T.
5. Pablo Castrillo (ESP) Movistar +1'16"
6. Ben O'Connor (AUS) Jayco-AlUla +1'17"
7. Felix Großschartner (AUT) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
8. Lennard Kamna (GER) Lidl-Trek
9. Rainer Kepplinger (AUT) Bahrain Victorious all S.T.
10. B. Swift (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers +1'32"

Make sure to keep up to date with all the news coming into our newsroom by checking out our website. You could start with our post-race report...

>>> Tour de Suisse: Romain Grégoire attacks from breakaway to win rain-soaked stage 1