Smart and strong: Dutch champion Dylan Groenewegen shows his speed in Slovenia

While some WorldTour teams have only just finished the Giro d'Italia, the Tour of Slovenia got underway on Wednesday. Four teams from the highest level, Bahrain Victorious, UAE Emirates-XRG, Jayco AlUla, and Lidl-Trek, traveled to the country of Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic, among others. The five-day stage race will seek a successor to Giovanni Aleotti, who won last year's 2.Pro race.

The organizers had set out a 170.6-kilometer course for the first day between the start in Piran and the finish in Skofljica, a small town near the capital Ljubljana. The riders had to cope with some altitude in the middle of the stage, but as the last 55 kilometers were almost flat, a sprint was expected at the finish in Skofljica.

After about 20 kilometers, Fabio Christen (Q36.5) attacked. The Swiss rider then rode alone at the front of the peloton for a long time, building up a maximum lead of four minutes. After 30 kilometers in the wind, Christen was joined by home riders Michael Stajnar, Matic Zumer, and Jaka Marolt. The peloton, with Lidl-Trek and Jayco AlUla doing the work at the front, kept the four riders at two minutes.

The gap to the leaders stayed around two minutes, which made for a somewhat boring phase in the race. However, the peloton was shaken up by a crash 63 kilometers from the finish. Five riders went down, but most seemed to get away with minor injuries. Behind them, Jayco AlUla (for Groenewegen) and Lidl-Trek (for Teutenberg) were still in control.

Meanwhile, Christen steadily collected seconds before dropping back 30 kilometers from the finish, satisfied with his efforts. His fellow breakaway riders held on a little longer but were eventually caught nine kilometers from the finish. That was the moment when the WorldTour teams positioned themselves at the front.

Groenewegen was brought to the front three kilometers from the finish by his Jayco AlUla teammates, who resolutely took the lead at that point. In the final kilometer, Uno-X and UAE overtook the Dutch champion's train, although he did manage to get on the right wheel in the final corners. Groenewegen then attacked and held on to the finish with an impressive effort.