Tom Scully of British-based team Madison-Genesis has taken the overall lead in the Tour de Normandie in France after stage one on Tuesday.
New Zealander Scully finished 44th on the opening road stage in the lead group, which was crucially 13 seconds ahead of a second group containing prologue winner and overnight race leader Tom Bohli (BMC). Thanks to Scully's second position in the prologue on Monday, he inherited the yellow leader's jersey from Swiss rider Bohli.
French rider Lucas Destang (Vendée U) won the stage's sprint finish, with Team Wiggins's Owain Doull finishing a creditable seventh. Doull now moves up to 12th spot overall in the race that is serving as Team Wiggins's competitive debut.
In addition to British teams Madison-Genesis and Team Wiggins, JLT-Condor are also racing, as is Irish outfit An Post-Chain Reaction with new recruit Josh Edmondson.
The riders now face a hilly route on stage two, from Duclair to Elbeuf-sur-Seine which could see the race lead change hands again. The seven-day, UCI 2.2-ranked race concludes on Sunday, March 29.
Results
Tour de Normandie 2015, stage one: Colombelles to Forges-les-Eaux, 207km
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1. Lucas Destang (Fra) Vendée U
2. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Rad-Net Rose
3. Joeri Calleeuw (Bel) Verandas Willems
4. Jordan Levasseur (Fra) Armée de Terre
5. Alexis Carlin (Fra) all same time
...
7. Owain Doull (GBr) Team Wiggins
Overall classification after stage one
1. Tom Scully (NZl) Madison-Genesis
2. Olivier Pardini (Bel) Verandas Willems at same time
3. Lucas Destang (Fra) Vendée U at same time
4. Jan Dieteren (Ger) Leopard Development at 1 sec
5. Nathan Van Hooydonck (Bel) at 2 secs
JLT-Condor team at the start, Tour de Normandie 2015, stage one
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
A rainswept start line for stage one of the Tour de Normandie 2015
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
Tom Stewart was part of the day's escape group
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
Escape group, Tour de Normandie 2015, stage one
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
The peloton chase the escape
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
Escapee Mads Christensen took the combativity award for his efforts
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
The bunch winds up the pace for a sprint into Forges-les-Eaux
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
Lucas Destang wins, Tour de Normandie 2015, stage one
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
Welshman Owain Doull (centre of shot) finished seventh for debut squad, Team Wiggins
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
Tom Scully takes the lead in Tour de Normandie 2015 after stage one
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
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