A decent challenge on the opening day for the riders with three tricky climbs in the last 75km, with the lumpy Coleman Valley road between 40 and 20km to go the last difficulty.
As mentioned in the preview the sprinters are a bit thin on the ground here though there is a five or six who'll have high hopes of taking the leaders jersey on day one. It is a fairly windy day so any lead out will have to be done with perfection.
Here is our break of the day with just three rider clear.
Italian punchaer Pavarin
Russian breakaway specialist Sokolov
And the beloved French baby face Voeckler
All three well capable on the hills so an interesting three man move.
Pavarin takes the early sprint ahead of Sokolov and Voeckler.
Fast forward to 80km to go and the lead three have a five minute lead having been up to about 8 minutes at one stage. The teams controlling are Festina, Venchi, Pearl Adidas and Heineken. Festina in particular looking very bullish with Contador constantly in about 10th place in the pack.
The first two categorised climbs are particularly steep near the tops.
The first is a second cat climb with points offered down to 5th place so we will keep our eyes peeled to see if anyone jumps from the pack. Up front Pavarin edges out Voeckler and Sokolov.
Passalacqua attacks to take the fourth place points ahead of the steady Festina pace done by Jason Donald and Pichon.
Tommy Voeckler nails the next climb to draw level with Pavarin in the KoM standings.
Laurent Pichon leads the pack over with Pearl Adidas taking close order.
At this stage our breakaway trio, all decent climbers are holding that five minutes quite impressively. It leads to a big pace over this second climb and a split in the pack.
Suddenly Pichon drops off the lead Guerao has been dropped and some of the other Festina's are pacing the second pack!
Granjel Cabrera, Griepal, Howard and Medvedev are other notable names here.
So mass panic behind with the pack continuing to try and reel in this break. Pavarin taking the intermediate sprint between the last two categorised climbs over Voeckler and the struggling Sokolov.
35km to go and this is the finale.
The gaps are as follows with 35km left:
Lead three
First peloton at 2.49
Second peloton at 4.57
It feels as if Festina can get Guerao back on, is this a prequel for the Vuelta though? The gap is visable...
On this second category ascent perhaps a slight surprise as Voeckler drops Pavarin to take the KoM jersey.
Heineken lead the first over through Ethan Weiss, the Americans at least showing themselves as good teammates early on.
Festina are left to do all the work in the second pack and the gap is beginning to grow out to over three minutes. Guerao, Greipel and Granjel Cabrera look unlikely to make the sprint today.
Are we even going to get a sprint? David De La Fuente thinks not as he attacks the first peloton on the plateau of the Valley road.
25km to go and Voeckler remains solo.
Voeckler Pavarin at 16 seconds Sokolov at 51 seconds
First pack at 1.54 (they have reeled De La Fuente back in)
Second pack at 5.44
15km to go and Voeckler is descending as hard as he can, though his refusal to work with Pavarin could work against him.
Voeckler Pavarin at 16
first pack at 1.16
Second pack at 6.01
Into the last 10kms and CalGiant are keeping the pace high here through Weiss and Bauer two very decent roulers.
Bauer makes the catch as Cancellara steams through into the last 5km with Van Stayen on his wheel.
The sprinters are having to work ridiculously hard to stay with this motorbike!
Van Stayen is glued to his teammates wheel, with Holloway and Impey battling to get on Van Stayen's wheel. Kreder, TvG, Rabon, Van der velde and Van den Hugenhaben are also here.
Holloway just gets blown away as Van Den Broeck comes past to contest the sprint.
Former Red Bull man Impey takes the wheel of his usurper Van Stayen with only really Van den Hugenhaben able to get nearly the powerful lead out.
Sensibly the sprinters remain queued up as Cancellara's early power is waning slightly allowing a queue.
Cancellara van Stayen Impey Vanden Hugenhaben TvG Rabon Kreder Van der Velde
Bobridge is hanging around too for some reason.
There is only 60 or so riders left in the reduced pack, though the GC favourites all seem to be there.
Cancellara leads them into the bend into the home stretch.
Van Stayen punches it under the 1km banner with Impey the only rider able to lift the pace to go with him.
Impey is struggling to hold the wheel with TvG weaving his way through the red bulls looking for a time bonus.
TvG is looking fast as he overtakes Cancellara who will see Van Stayen now extending his advantage over Impey.
Bobridge celebrates in the background as Van Stayen takes the opening stage with much credit to Cancellara who did the job of two men there.
Impey is second and TvG third, the American may hope to take the lead into tomorrow's even more hilly stage.
Cancellara is 4th, Vanden Hugenhaben 5th, Bobridge 6th then Rabon, Van Den Broeck.
The Guerao group ended up coming in nine minutes down with no real GC candidates there and only Festina looking to work no real impetus late on. Pavarin, Voeckler and Sokolov were all dropped in the finale meaning the mountains classification was the only prize other than glory for them.
Stage results
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Michael Van Stayen
Simply Red Bull
4h47'10
2
Daryl Impey
Aker - MOT
s.t.
3
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
s.t.
4
Fabian Cancellara
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
5
Robin van der Hugenhaben
Koenigsegg
s.t.
6
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
7
Frantisek Rabon
Milka - AVG
s.t.
8
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
9
Ricardo Van der Velde
Team Bacardi
s.t.
10
Wesley Kreder
Project 1t4i
s.t.
11
Stefan Denifl
Wikipedia
s.t.
12
Dan Holloway
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
13
Daniel Martin
Pendleton's
s.t.
14
Rafael Valls
Santander
s.t.
15
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil
Project 1t4i
s.t.
16
Vicente Reynès
Santander
s.t.
17
Walter Pedraza
Koenigsegg
s.t.
18
Franco Pellizotti
Team WWE
s.t.
19
David De la Fuente
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
20
Domenik Klemme
Team B&O
s.t.
21
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Team WWE
s.t.
22
Brent Bookwalter
Wikipedia
s.t.
23
Tiago Machado
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
24
Mario Vogt
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
25
Matthias Frank
UBS - BMC
s.t.
26
Arnold Jeannesson
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
27
Jack Bauer
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
28
Andrew Talansky
Wikipedia
s.t.
29
Vladimir Gusev
Pendleton's
s.t.
30
Mauricio Ardila
Team WWE
s.t.
31
Konstantin Siutsou
Pendleton's
s.t.
32
Kleber Silva
Pendleton's
s.t.
33
Danny Summerhill
Wikipedia
s.t.
34
Nick Kinney
Wikipedia
s.t.
35
Janez Brajkovic
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
36
Dominique Nerz
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
37
Andrei Grivko
Team B&O
s.t.
38
Michael Albasini
UBS - BMC
s.t.
39
Pello Bilbao
Team Bacardi
s.t.
40
Jelle Vanendert
Project 1t4i
s.t.
41
Hubert Schwab
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
42
Alberto Contador
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
43
Sérgio Paulinho
Team WWE
s.t.
44
Christophe Kern
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
45
Maurizio Biondo
Aker - MOT
s.t.
46
Florian Morizot
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
47
Rigoberto Úran
Milka - AVG
s.t.
48
Ran Margaliot
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
49
Branislav Samoilev
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
50
André Steensen
Team B&O
s.t.
51
Pierre Rolland
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
52
Lucas Sebastian Haedo
Aker - MOT
s.t.
53
Ethan Weiss
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
54
Wilco Kelderman
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
55
Marcel Wyss
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
56
Jure Kocjan
Team Bacardi
s.t.
57
Laurens Ten Dam
Project 1t4i
s.t.
58
Piet Rooijakkers
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
59
Serge Pauwels
Koenigsegg
s.t.
60
Yoann Offredo
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
61
Alexander Wetterhall
Koenigsegg
s.t.
62
Moreno Hofland
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
63
David Livramento
Aker - MOT
s.t.
64
Sébastien Rosseler
Project 1t4i
s.t.
65
Paul Martens
Project 1t4i
s.t.
66
Michael Mørkøv
Team B&O
s.t.
67
Roger Kluge
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
68
Samuel Dumoulin
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
69
Marcello Pavarin
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
70
Thomas Voeckler
Team WWE
s.t.
71
Mikel Landa
Wikipedia
s.t.
72
Stijn Joseph
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
73
Tom Leezer
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
74
Olivier Le Gac
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
75
Morten Reckweg
Team B&O
s.t.
76
Juan Abenhamar Gallego Martin
Santander
s.t.
77
Alberigo Passalacqua
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
78
Jurgen Van Goolen
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
79
Kiel Reijnen
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
80
Jakub Novak
Milka - AVG
s.t.
81
Abolfazl Gilanipoor
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
82
Evert Verbist
Milka - AVG
+ 3'18
83
Francis Mourey
Pendleton's
s.t.
84
Chris Opie
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
85
Niki Terpstra
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
86
Sébastien Turgot
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
87
Evgeni Sokolov
Team Bacardi
s.t.
88
Daniele Ratto
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 6'15
89
Jon Ander Insausti
Santander
s.t.
90
Evan Huffman
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
91
Mathieu Bernaudeau
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
92
Piter Campero
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
93
Maciej Bodnar
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
94
Laurent Pichon
Festina-Canal+
+ 9'07
95
Cedric Lebris
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
96
Martin Mortensen
Koenigsegg
s.t.
97
Óscar Guerao
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
98
Jason Donald
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
99
Raúl Granjel Cabrera
Koenigsegg
s.t.
100
Timothy Dupont
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
101
Leigh Howard
Milka - AVG
s.t.
102
Alexander Krieger
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
103
Steele Von Hoff
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
104
André Greipel
Team WWE
s.t.
105
Tanel Kangert
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
106
Amaël Moinard
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
107
Danilo Wyss
UBS - BMC
s.t.
108
Fabio Felline
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
109
Marcel Aregger
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
110
Francesco Reda
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
111
Alex Kirsch
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
112
Nevio Tirloni
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
113
Ole Haavardsholm
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
114
Toms Skujins
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
115
Bas Giling
Project 1t4i
s.t.
116
Steven Kruijswijk
Team B&O
s.t.
117
Lorents Ola Aasvold
Aker - MOT
s.t.
118
Marco Zafferani
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
119
Wim De Vocht
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
120
Johan Le Bon
UBS - BMC
s.t.
121
Imanol Erviti
Santander
s.t.
122
Rafaâ Chtioui
UBS - BMC
s.t.
123
Richie Porte
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
124
Meron Russom
Pendleton's
s.t.
125
Bob Jungels
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
126
Markus Fahnert
Project 1t4i
s.t.
127
Rob Partridge
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
128
Alfredo Balloni
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
129
Vegard Stake Laengen
Aker - MOT
s.t.
130
Aidis Kruopis
Team Bacardi
s.t.
131
Benedetto Monterastelli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
132
Mario Gonzalez Salas
Santander
s.t.
133
Tom Thill
Team Bacardi
s.t.
134
Sebastien Reichenbach
UBS - BMC
s.t.
135
Thomas Frei
UBS - BMC
s.t.
136
Rasmus Quaade
Team B&O
s.t.
137
Riccardo Zoidl
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
138
Mattia Pozzo
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
139
Florian Stalder
UBS - BMC
s.t.
140
Javier Aramendía
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
141
Arkaitz Durán
Santander
s.t.
142
Blake Caldwell
Wikipedia
s.t.
143
Piotr Mazur
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
144
David Rosch
Pendleton's
s.t.
145
Johannes Heider
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
146
Dmitri Medvedev
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
147
Maxim Belkov
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
148
Zdenek Stybar
Milka - AVG
s.t.
149
Klaas Vantornout
Aker - MOT
s.t.
150
Westley Gough
Milka - AVG
s.t.
151
Jude Libert
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
152
Lars Petter Nordhaug
Aker - MOT
s.t.
153
Tyler Butterfield
Team Bacardi
s.t.
154
Ole Hirschlein
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
155
Thomas Koep
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
156
Kristoffer Nielsen
Team B&O
s.t.
157
Antonio Santoro
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
158
Nebojsa Jovanovic
Pendleton's
s.t.
159
Amets Txurruka
Team WWE
s.t.
160
Aberlardo Ablenado
Santander
s.t.
161
Pedro Pablo Pereyra
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
162
Maxime Bouet
Milka - AVG
s.t.
163
Viktor Renäng
Koenigsegg
s.t.
164
Freddy Johansson
Koenigsegg
s.t.
165
Joseph Dombrowski
Team WWE
s.t.
166
Gerben Löwik
Control Team
+ 15'50
167
Cadel Evans
Control Team
s.t.
168
Jean-Patrick Nazon
Control Team
s.t.
169
Steven Burke
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
170
Russell Downing
Control Team
s.t.
171
Robert Hunter
Control Team
s.t.
172
Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio
Control Team
s.t.
GC
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Michael Van Stayen
Simply Red Bull
4h46'50
2
Daryl Impey
Aker - MOT
+ 8
3
Marcello Pavarin
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
4
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
+ 12
5
Thomas Voeckler
Team WWE
+ 14
6
Fabian Cancellara
Simply Red Bull
+ 20
7
Robin van der Hugenhaben
Koenigsegg
s.t.
8
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
9
Frantisek Rabon
Milka - AVG
s.t.
10
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
11
Ricardo Van der Velde
Team Bacardi
s.t.
12
Wesley Kreder
Project 1t4i
s.t.
13
Stefan Denifl
Wikipedia
s.t.
14
Dan Holloway
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
15
Daniel Martin
Pendleton's
s.t.
16
Rafael Valls
Santander
s.t.
17
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil
Project 1t4i
s.t.
18
Vicente Reynès
Santander
s.t.
19
Walter Pedraza
Koenigsegg
s.t.
20
Franco Pellizotti
Team WWE
s.t.
21
David De la Fuente
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
22
Domenik Klemme
Team B&O
s.t.
23
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Team WWE
s.t.
24
Brent Bookwalter
Wikipedia
s.t.
25
Tiago Machado
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
26
Mario Vogt
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
27
Matthias Frank
UBS - BMC
s.t.
28
Arnold Jeannesson
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
29
Jack Bauer
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
30
Andrew Talansky
Wikipedia
s.t.
Points
Rank
Name
Team
Points
1
Michael Van Stayen
Simply Red Bull
25
2
Daryl Impey
Aker - MOT
20
3
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
16
4
Fabian Cancellara
Simply Red Bull
14
5
Marcello Pavarin
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
12
6
Robin van der Hugenhaben
Koenigsegg
12
7
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
10
8
Frantisek Rabon
Milka - AVG
9
9
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Team Puma - SAP
8
10
Ricardo Van der Velde
Team Bacardi
7
11
Thomas Voeckler
Team WWE
6
12
Evgeni Sokolov
Team Bacardi
6
13
Wesley Kreder
Project 1t4i
6
14
Stefan Denifl
Wikipedia
5
15
Dan Holloway
Pokerstars.com
4
16
Daniel Martin
Pendleton's
3
17
Rafael Valls
Santander
2
18
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil
Project 1t4i
1
Mountains
Rank
Name
Team
Mountain
1
Thomas Voeckler
Team WWE
24
2
Marcello Pavarin
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
22
3
Evgeni Sokolov
Team Bacardi
14
4
Alberigo Passalacqua
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
4
5
Ethan Weiss
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
4
6
Jason Donald
Festina-Canal+
2
7
Jack Bauer
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
2
Youth
Rank
Name
Team
General Time
1
Michael Van Stayen
Simply Red Bull
4h46'50 (1)
2
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
+ 12 (2)
3
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
+ 20 (3)
4
Wesley Kreder
Project 1t4i
+ 20 (4)
5
Mario Vogt
Team Puma - SAP
+ 20 (5)
6
Andrew Talansky
Wikipedia
+ 20 (6)
7
Danny Summerhill
Wikipedia
+ 20 (7)
8
Dominique Nerz
Team Puma - SAP
+ 20 (8)
9
Pello Bilbao
Team Bacardi
+ 20 (9)
10
Ran Margaliot
Simply Red Bull
+ 20 (10)
11
Ethan Weiss
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 20 (11)
12
Wilco Kelderman
Team Puma - SAP
+ 20 (12)
13
Moreno Hofland
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 20 (13)
14
Mikel Landa
Wikipedia
+ 20 (14)
15
Olivier Le Gac
Pearl Adidas
+ 20 (15)
16
Morten Reckweg
Team B&O
+ 20 (16)
17
Alberigo Passalacqua
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 20 (17)
18
Jakub Novak
Milka - AVG
+ 20 (18)
19
Abolfazl Gilanipoor
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 20 (19)
20
Daniele Ratto
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 6'35 (20)
21
Jon Ander Insausti
Santander
+ 6'35 (21)
22
Evan Huffman
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 6'35 (22)
23
Mathieu Bernaudeau
Festina-Canal+
+ 6'35 (23)
24
Piter Campero
Festina-Canal+
+ 6'35 (24)
25
Óscar Guerao
Festina-Canal+
+ 9'27 (25)
26
Leigh Howard
Milka - AVG
+ 9'27 (26)
27
Alexander Krieger
Simply Red Bull
+ 9'27 (27)
28
Fabio Felline
Team Puma - SAP
+ 9'27 (28)
29
Marcel Aregger
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 9'27 (29)
30
Alex Kirsch
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 9'27 (30)
31
Nevio Tirloni
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 9'27 (31)
32
Ole Haavardsholm
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 9'27 (32)
33
Toms Skujins
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 9'27 (33)
34
Lorents Ola Aasvold
Aker - MOT
+ 9'27 (34)
35
Johan Le Bon
UBS - BMC
+ 9'27 (35)
36
Bob Jungels
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 9'27 (36)
37
Markus Fahnert
Project 1t4i
+ 9'27 (37)
38
Alfredo Balloni
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 9'27 (38)
39
Vegard Stake Laengen
Aker - MOT
+ 9'27 (39)
40
Benedetto Monterastelli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 9'27 (40)
41
Mario Gonzalez Salas
Santander
+ 9'27 (41)
42
Tom Thill
Team Bacardi
+ 9'27 (42)
43
Sebastien Reichenbach
UBS - BMC
+ 9'27 (43)
44
Rasmus Quaade
Team B&O
+ 9'27 (44)
45
Riccardo Zoidl
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 9'27 (45)
46
David Rosch
Pendleton's
+ 9'27 (46)
47
Westley Gough
Milka - AVG
+ 9'27 (47)
48
Jude Libert
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 9'27 (48)
49
Ole Hirschlein
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 9'27 (49)
50
Thomas Koep
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 9'27 (50)
51
Antonio Santoro
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 9'27 (51)
52
Aberlardo Ablenado
Santander
+ 9'27 (52)
53
Pedro Pablo Pereyra
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 9'27 (53)
54
Joseph Dombrowski
Team WWE
+ 9'27 (54)
55
Steven Burke
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 16'10 (55)
Teams
Rank
Team
Time
General Time
1
Simply Red Bull
14h21'30
14h21'30 (1)
2
Wikipedia
s.t.
+ 0 (2)
3
Project 1t4i
s.t.
+ 0 (3)
4
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
+ 0 (4)
5
Team WWE
s.t.
+ 0 (5)
6
Pendleton's
s.t.
+ 0 (6)
7
Koenigsegg
s.t.
+ 0 (7)
8
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms