There was no fairytale on Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard for Geraint Thomas after he forgot to take off his gilet for a time trial.
As that well-known French town, Copenhagen, unfurled a riot of colour and robust nectar for the Tour de France, Thomas effectively rode the 8.2-mile prologue in a life jacket. And despite a storming second half, the 2018 champion's opening gambit against the clock was a bigger let-down than Andersen's fabled Little Mermaid herself.
He finished 25 seconds off the lead and, more damagingly, 18sec down on reigning champion Tadej Pogacar. Cursing the valuable time he has already shipped in the general classification, honest Thomas admitted: “I forgot I had it (the gilet) on. I zipped it up, all nice and snug, before the start and nobody spotted it. I was cornering like my wife – and she hasn't ridden a bike for 12 years.”
When he won the time trial prologue in Dusseldorf five years ago, rivals bickered about Thomas riding into the leader's Yellow Jersey in a space-age blistered skinsuit. But in treacherous conditions reminiscent of his glory in 2017 on the Grand Depart in Germany, they could not believe their luck this time.
In short, sharp time trials, every second – every small aerodynamic advantage – is critical, and Thomas, 36, may count the cost all the way to Paris.
He said: “It was cracking me and I did think about taking it off, but that would have been a bit dodgy. When I put the power down, I had plenty of it. But mentally, it was one of the hardest time trials I've ever done. Everyone's telling you to take it easy because there's been a few crashes, but when I won in Dusseldorf it was just a nice, smooth line.
“This felt so bitty, stop and start, so when I heard the time gaps – 18 seconds down on Mathieu van der Poel – I just thought, 'Sod it, just race' and I just took the pin out.
"The legs were good, but it's a shame about the blinking gilet. I know I could have done a better ride so it's annoying and I always want more. At least I was warm so I am not going to get a cold - maybe everyone else will get a cold now."
What a shame such a decorated hero made such a basic error as huge crowds defied the squalls blowing in from Jutland. Ineos team-mate Tom Pidcock, the 22-year-old Olympic mountain bike champion, even undercut Thomas by a second on his Tour de France debut, and fellow Brit Adam Yates went 2sec faster.
The stage, and Yellow Jersey, went to Belgium's Yves Lampaert, who beat his compatriot Wout van Aert by five seconds, with Pogacar a further two heartbeats back. “I'm just a farmer's son from Belgium,” gasped Lampaert.
Saturday's second stage, a 125.6-mile long haul from Roskilde to Nyborg, finishes with a crossing of the windswept Grand Belt Bridge.
If the wind blows, it might be cold enough to wear a gilet.
