The 83rd edition of the WorldTour stage race got underway with a 234-kilometer long stage. After the start in Gdynia, a breakaway quickly formed, with Lemmen among those who initiated the move. The 30-year-old Dutchman from Team Visma | Lease a Bike was joined by five fellow escapees. On the flat course, their advantage grew to just under two minutes. 

There were plenty of bonus seconds available along the way. Lemmen picked up two seconds in one of the intermediate sprints. The early escapees never had a chance of competing for the stage victory, however. The teams with sprint ambitions ensured that the breakaway was caught with 14 kilometers remaining. In the inevitable bunch sprint, Milan proved to be the fastest. Thanks to his two bonus seconds, Lemmen sits sixth overall in the general classification. 

“The plan for today was to have someone from our team in the breakaway,” Lemmen said afterward. “With so many intermediate sprints, you could immediately put yourself in a good position in the general classification. I was ultimately able to pick up two seconds, which puts me in sixth place overall. I can look back on a long day at the front of the race with satisfaction.” 

“There are still some great stages coming up toward the end of the week,” Lemmen added. “On Tuesday and Wednesday, there are still opportunities for the sprinters on paper. From the fourth stage onward, the course gets tougher. Within the team, we have several riders we can play when things get difficult. We’re looking forward to that.”