This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.
Luke Rowe (Sky) won the opening stage of the Tour of Britain, taking the sprint in Norfolk, which was overshadowed by a huge crash just before the final km. Boy von Poppel (UnitedHealthcare) was second. The stage winner also took the overall lead.
Mark Cavendish (Sky) crashed with 1,100 meters to go, in a crash that involved a huge proportion of the lead group. That left about a dozen riders to go for the win, and Sky took the win, although not with the expected rider.
A four rider group was away much of the day: Jonny Clarke (UnitedHealthcare), Rony Martias (Saur Sojasun), Kristian House (Rapha Condor) and Niels Wytinck (AN Post Sean Kelly). Martias was the first to drop back and the Sky-led peloton swept by the other s with 22km to go. Wytinck attacked just as the peloton closed in, but two kilometres later he too was caught.
It was a reduced group which went into the finale. Numerous crashes in the last 20 kilometres reduced the peloton, as the narrow lanes caused all kinds of problems -- problems which unfortunately accompanied the field to the finish line.
A sprint victory wasn't to be for Cav
Full results
1
Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky Procycling
4:51:05
2
Boy Van Poppel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
3
Russell Downing (GBr) Endura Racing
4
Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
5
Peter Hawkins (Irl) IG - Sigma Sport
6
Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
7
Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
8
Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
9
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (GBr) Endura Racing
10
Ben Grenda (Aus) Rapha Condor
11
Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling
12
Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team Netapp
13
Chris Opie (GBr) UK Youth Cycling
14
Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
15
Daniel Lloyd (GBr) IG - Sigma Sport
16
Yanto Barker (GBr) UK Youth Cycling
17
Niklas Gustavsson (Swe) UK Youth Cycling
18
Sam Bennett (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly
19
Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
20
Richard Lang (Aus) Rapha Condor
21
Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
22
Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
23
Magnus Backstedt (Swe) UK Youth Cycling
24
Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling
25
Zak Dempster (Aus) Endura Racing
0:01:25
26
Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
27
Paul Voss (Ger) Endura Racing
0:00:00
28
Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
0:01:29
29
Leopold Koenig (Cze) Team Netapp
30
Ronan Mclaughlin (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly
31
David Clarke (GBr) Node 4 - Giordana
0:01:30
32
David Le Lay (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
33
Jacek Morajko (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
0:01:32
34
Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp
35
Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
36
Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
37
Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp
38
Richard Handley (GBr) Rapha Condor
39
Graham Briggs (GBr) Raleigh - GAC
40
Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Raleigh - GAC
41
Christofer Stevenson (Swe) UK Youth Cycling
42
Kai Reus (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
0:01:34
43
Adrian Saez de Arregui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
44
Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
45
Dan Craven (Nam) IG - Sigma Sport
46
Wouter Sybrandy (Ned) IG - Sigma Sport
47
Evan Oliphant (GBr) Raleigh - GAC
48
Josh Edmondson (GBr) Great Britain
49
Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
50
Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling
0:00:00
51
Marcin Bialoblocki (Pol) Node 4 - Giordana
0:01:36
52
Pierre Cazaux (Fra) Euskaltel-Euskadi
53
Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
0:00:00
54
Matthias Krizek (Aut) Liquigas-Cannondale
0:01:36
55
Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team Netapp
56
Simon Yates (GBr) Great Britain
57
Michael Cuming (GBr) Rapha Condor
58
Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post - Sean Kelly
0:00:00
59
Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
60
Tom Last (GBr) IG - Sigma Sport
0:03:41
61
Marco Benffato (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
0:00:00
62
Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
0:00:00
63
Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling
0:00:00
64
Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp
0:00:00
65
Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor
0:04:07
66
Marc De Maar (AHo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
0:04:10
67
Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Garmin-Sharp
0:00:00
68
Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky Procycling
0:04:21
69
Jonathan McEvoy (GBr) Endura Racing
70
Ian Bibby (GBr) Endura Racing
0:04:22
71
Jamie Sparling (Can) Raleigh - GAC
72
Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
0:00:00
73
Blaz Jarc (Slo) Team Netapp
74
Victor Cabedo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
0:06:18
75
Mathew Cronshaw (GBr) Node 4 - Giordana
0:07:22
76
Peter Williams (GBr) Node 4 - Giordana
77
Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
78
Wesley Kreder (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
79
Mark McNally (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly
80
Rico Rogers (NZl) Node 4 - Giordana
81
Jack Bobridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
82
Christopher Jennings (RSA) Rapha Condor
83
Niels Wytinck (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
84
Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
85
George Atkins (GBr) Great Britain
86
Owain Doull (GBr) Great Britain
87
Pablo Urtasun (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
88
Michael Northey (NZl) Node 4 - Giordana
89
Russell Hampton (GBr) Raleigh - GAC
90
Liam Holohan (GBr) Raleigh - GAC
91
Tom Moses (GBr) Great Britain
92
Alistair Slater (GBr) Great Britain
93
Simon Richardson (GBr) IG - Sigma Sport
94
Jonny Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
95
Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
96
Lachlan Morton (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
97
Jacob Rathe (USA) Garmin-Sharp
98
David McGowan (GBr) UK Youth Cycling
99
Ricardo Garcia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
0:08:45
DNF
Willem Wauters (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
Points classification
1
Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky Procycling
15
pts
2
Boy Van Poppel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
14
3
Russell Downing (GBr) Endura Racing
13
4
Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
12
5
Peter Hawkins (Irl) IG - Sigma Sport
11
6
Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
10
7
Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
9
8
Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
8
9
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (GBr) Endura Racing
7
10
Ben Grenda (Aus) Rapha Condor
6
11
Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling
5
12
Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team Netapp
4
13
Chris Opie (GBr) UK Youth Cycling
3
14
Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
2
15
Daniel Lloyd (GBr) IG - Sigma Sport
Teams classification
1
Saur Sojasun
14:33:15
2
Sky Procycling
3
Endura Racing
4
UK Youth Cycling
5
Liquigas - Cannondale
6
Garmin - Sharp
7
An Post Sean Kelly
0:01:29
8
Team NetApp
9
Rapha Condor
0:01:32
10
IG - Sigma Sport
0:01:34
11
UnitedHealthcare
0:02:54
12
Vacansoleil - DCM
0:03:04
13
Raleigh - GAC
0:04:38
14
Euskaltel Euskadi
0:04:44
15
Orica - GreenEDGE
0:07:22
16
Node 4 - Giordana
0:10:28
17
Great Britain
0:10:32
GC after stage 1
1
Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky Procycling
4:50:55
2
Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
0:00:03
3
Boy Van Poppel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
0:00:04
4
Russell Downing (GBr) Endura Racing
0:00:06
5
Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
0:00:10
6
Peter Hawkins (Irl) IG - Sigma Sport
7
Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
8
Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
9
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (GBr) Endura Racing
10
Ben Grenda (Aus) Rapha Condor
11
Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling
12
Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team Netapp
13
Chris Opie (GBr) UK Youth Cycling
14
Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
15
Daniel Lloyd (GBr) IG - Sigma Sport
16
Yanto Barker (GBr) UK Youth Cycling
17
Niklas Gustavsson (Swe) UK Youth Cycling
18
Sam Bennett (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly
19
Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
20
Richard Lang (Aus) Rapha Condor
21
Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
22
Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
23
Magnus Backstedt (Swe) UK Youth Cycling
24
Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling
25
Paul Voss (Ger) Endura Racing
26
Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling
27
Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
28
Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post - Sean Kelly
29
Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
30
Marco Benffato (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
31
Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
32
Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling
33
Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp
34
Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Garmin-Sharp
35
Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
36
Blaz Jarc (Slo) Team Netapp
37
Zak Dempster (Aus) Endura Racing
0:01:35
38
Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
39
Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
0:01:39
40
Leopold Koenig (Cze) Team Netapp
41
Ronan Mclaughlin (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly
42
David Clarke (GBr) Node 4 - Giordana
0:01:40
43
David Le Lay (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
44
Jacek Morajko (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
0:01:42
45
Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp
46
Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
47
Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
48
Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp
49
Richard Handley (GBr) Rapha Condor
50
Graham Briggs (GBr) Raleigh - GAC
51
Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Raleigh - GAC
52
Christofer Stevenson (Swe) UK Youth Cycling
53
Kai Reus (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
0:01:44
54
Adrian Saez de Arregui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
55
Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
56
Dan Craven (Nam) IG - Sigma Sport
57
Wouter Sybrandy (Ned) IG - Sigma Sport
58
Evan Oliphant (GBr) Raleigh - GAC
59
Josh Edmondson (GBr) Great Britain
60
Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
61
Marcin Bialoblocki (Pol) Node 4 - Giordana
0:01:46
62
Pierre Cazaux (Fra) Euskaltel-Euskadi
63
Matthias Krizek (Aut) Liquigas-Cannondale
64
Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team Netapp
65
Simon Yates (GBr) Great Britain
66
Michael Cuming (GBr) Rapha Condor
67
Tom Last (GBr) IG - Sigma Sport
0:03:51
68
Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor
0:04:11
69
Marc De Maar (AHo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
0:04:20
70
Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky Procycling
0:04:31
71
Jonathan McEvoy (GBr) Endura Racing
72
Ian Bibby (GBr) Endura Racing
0:04:32
73
Jamie Sparling (Can) Raleigh - GAC
74
Victor Cabedo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
0:06:28
75
Jonny Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
0:07:29
76
Niels Wytinck (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
0:07:30
77
Mathew Cronshaw (GBr) Node 4 - Giordana
0:07:32
78
Peter Williams (GBr) Node 4 - Giordana
79
Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
80
Wesley Kreder (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
81
Mark McNally (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly
82
Rico Rogers (NZl) Node 4 - Giordana
83
Jack Bobridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
84
Christopher Jennings (RSA) Rapha Condor
85
Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
86
George Atkins (GBr) Great Britain
87
Owain Doull (GBr) Great Britain
88
Pablo Urtasun (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
89
Michael Northey (NZl) Node 4 - Giordana
90
Russell Hampton (GBr) Raleigh - GAC
91
Liam Holohan (GBr) Raleigh - GAC
92
Tom Moses (GBr) Great Britain
93
Alistair Slater (GBr) Great Britain
94
Simon Richardson (GBr) IG - Sigma Sport
95
Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team
96
Lachlan Morton (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
97
Jacob Rathe (USA) Garmin-Sharp
98
David McGowan (GBr) UK Youth Cycling
99
Ricardo Garcia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
0:08:55
Sprint classification
1
Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
12
pts
2
Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor
9
3
Jonny Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
7
4
Niels Wytinck (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
5
Mountains classification
1
Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor
12
pts
2
Niels Wytinck (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
9
3
Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
4
4
Jonny Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
4
5
Lachlan Morton (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
1
