(Above) Stage 1 route; (below) stage 1 winner Valentin Madouas; Credit: (Above) Kangkan Halder / Chronicle.lu; (below) Cyclingpix by Serge Waldbillig

French professional road racing cyclist Valentin Madouas, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Groupama–FDJ, claimed victory in the first stage of the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg on Tuesday 13 September 2022.

Nineteen teams (including six WorldTour teams) each made up of six riders gathered at the Stade de Luxembourg in Luxembourg-Gasperich on Tuesday afternoon for the first of five stages of the 2022 Skoda Tour de Luxembourg. The 163.8 km first stage took the riders from Luxembourg City towards the north of the country (via Bourscheid, Esch-sur-Sûre, Mersch) and back to Luxembourg City. The finish line was located in Luxembourg-Kirchberg.

French rider Valentin Madouas, who won the Tour de Doubs earlier this month, ultimately raced ahead and crossed the finish line three seconds ahead of the Netherlands' Sjoerd Bax (UCI ProTeam Alpecin–Deceuninck) in second place. In third and fourth place were French rider Clément Berthet (AG2R Citroen Team) and Italy's Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates), respectively.

Luxembourg's Kévin Geniets (Groupama - FDJ) finished the first stage in 16th place (04:00:33) - the best result for a Luxembourgish rider in this stage. Other riders representing Luxembourg on this occasion were: Ivan Centrone (Geofco Doltcini Materiel-Velo.com; 32nd place); Michel Ries (Team Arkea - Samsic; 35th); Tom Wirtgen (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB; 53rd); Luc Wirtgen (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB; 65th); Colin Heiderscheid (Leopard Pro Cycling; 82nd); Arthur Kluckers (UAE Team Emirates; 83rd); Jacques Gloesener (Geofco Doltcini Materiel-Velo.com; 89th); Alexandre Kess (Geofco Doltcini Materiel-Velo.com; 111th). The last Luxembourger to win the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg (then called "Tour de Luxembourg") was Fränk Schleck in 2009.

This year's Skoda Tour de Luxembourg will continue on Wednesday afternoon, with the 163.4 km second stage taking the riders from Junglinster to Schifflange via the Mullerthal region.

Stage 1 results

1. Valentin Madouas (France; Groupama - FDJ), 04:00:25
2. Sjoerd Bax (Netherlands; Alpecin-Deceuninck), 04:00:28
3. Clément Berthet (France; AG2R Citroen Team), 04:00:32
4. Matteo Trentin (Italy; UAE Team Emirates), 04:00:33