Pierrick Fedrigo upstaged the more fancied favourites to claim victory in the first stage of the Critérium International, dropping closest challenger Tiago Machado in the last kilometre.
Though the mountainous first stage in Corsica had been billed as a tasty showdown between in-form Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong, both rivals failed to perform on the 14-kilometre finishing climb of the Col d'Ospedale.
However, Contador's misfire was more puzzling. Having taken two bonus seconds in intermediate sprints and with several Astana riders - including Alexandre Vinokourov - working on front of the peloton from fifty kilometres to go, the scene looked set for an attack from the in-form Spaniard.
It didn't come to fruition. When the pace was forced two kilometres from the finish after Lagutin's return, the heavy favourite had no answer and fell behind.
As chill winds gusted on the forested Col d'Ospedale, it was left for Fedrigo to take flight, kickng inside the final kilometre to dispose of closest challenger Tiago Machado (Team RadioShack).
"I'm really surprised. I took my chance today; I just said '300 metres more, 300 more, 300 more.. and then I'd won," Fedrigo said.
Tomorrow sees a 75km morning stage before an 8-kilometre time-trial around Porto-Vecchio. Though the advantage now lies strongly with Fedrigo, he may be very thankful of the bonus seconds taken from today's victory, considering that former world time-trial champion Michael Rogers is in the chasing group.
Criterium International 2010, Stage one: Porto-Vecchio-Col de l'Ospedale
10. David Lopez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne all at same time
General classification after stage one
10. David Lopez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne all at same time
Related links2010 Criterium International: The Big Preview
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