The opening stage could well be one for the sprinters before we head for hillier terrain.
Mark Cavendish
was a bug signing for the Proximus Trek team and will be a strong favourite with a team built around him for the flatter stages here.
His big rivals should be Italian Danilo Napolitano
a long time big threat in the Ctour as well as German Gerald Ciolek
who did well in the Tour Down Under.
Early on however there was King of the Mountains interest with French journeyman Jimmy Engoulvent
overhaulling an enthusiastic Yuan Wei
and Pim Ligthart
These three and five others are forming a decent break. The five others are: Emilien Viennet Steven Cozza Georgos Tzortzakis Michael Matthews Michael Vink
The Pokerstars man takes the King of the Mountains crown for a day, though it will likely change hands to a more capable climber in the upcoming stages. Pokerstars have not raced too often early on and will be looking to get their season moving here.
Meiji Fuji seem to call Wei back, feeling perhaps that this isn't the right break for the attacking Chinese rider.
A bit of a strange move, but it makes a bit more sense when the stronger Sergei Lagutin
attacks clear with Jordi Simon
These two hook up with the seven up front to make a nine man breakaway. Interesting that two Festina loanees are here, Tzortzakis and Matthews, both are sprinters in development and figure in the opening sprint. Tzortzakis gets the jump to take the win with Engoulvent 2nd and Matthews 3rd.
California Giant Berry Farms get on the act in a tight second sprint with American Cozza getting the nod over Matthews and Lagutin.
If the break is allowed to stay clear this may give Matthews, Tzortzakis and Cozza a handy bonus in the battle for early overall lead. However things are being well marshalled by Proximus Trek and surprisingly Ferrari and Volks Wagen. Perhaps the latter two teams see something in the break that threatens their big GC threats?
The gap tumbles down quickly to just two minutes with 50 kilometres to go, VolksWagen realise this is a bit too soon and slow it down up front with Koppert massing up front.
However once we get into the last 25km Unicreidt and Bianchi join forces with Proximus to reel the break in. It's a sort of powerhouse sprinters alliance.
Proximus will be delighted to have got the support and virtually the whole team is lined up in front of Cavendish as we come into the last 12 kilos.
Things are slightly unsettled by a highly ambitious José Joaquin Rojas Gil
who attacks with 6km to go!
He doesn't really get very far and we have a big three way sprint train battle between Bianchi, Unicredit and Proximus.
Unlike Unicredit and Proximus, Bianchi have GC ambitions through Spanish champion Gil, therefore Gerald Ciolek
only has Geoffroy Lequatre
where as Danilo Napolitano
has Mirko Lorenzetto
and Fabio Borghesi
with Bratty Brit Mark Cavendish
having Vojtech Hacecký
and Maciej Ulanowski
The Pokerstars tactic is clear stick to Cav's wheel and it's Marco Guillén
with Emanuele Rizza Ahmad Haidar Anuawar Aleksandr Serebriakov
and Blaise Sonnery
sniffing out a decent wheel to latch onto.
On stats alone Unicredit seem to have the best lead out and they look to squeez Cavendish out of contention.
Having only one man in his sprint train Ciolek is forced to go early with Serebriakov possibly finding the best wheel going with him. Cavendish is sticking to Ulanowski who is tracking Napolitano, Guillen is still there on Cav's wheel going into the last km.
As we come up the final slight uphill straight a gap opens invitingly between Ciolek and Napolitano.
The Manxman needs no second invitation and rockets forward, Guillen is timing his move well though.
Napolitano responds as Ciolek and Serebriakov fade, but Cavendish will take the win ahead of his shadow Gullien.
Cavendish looks to celebrate with his teammates, Ulanowski did a fantastic job today and they did a lot of the chasing. Guillen takes an opportunistic second, Napolitano will look to do better in later stages with Ciolek probably best to look to follow wheels.
