Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) gave a glimpse of what the Great Britain team might have had in the World Championships road race, as he won the opening stage of the Giro della Toscana in Italy.
Double national champion Cummings was initially selected to compete in the time trial at the World Championships rather than the road race, withdrawing himself from the team altogether as he had been training specifically for the latter event.
Taking place in his first race since the team was announced two weeks ago, the Dimension Data rider won the first stage of the Giro della Toscana from a breakaway.
Cummings attacked the peloton with 25km remaining alongside Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), Frederick Backaert (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), and soon-to-be Team Sky rider Egan Bernal (Androni-Sidermec).
That foursome steadily built a lead over the chasing peloton, with the sprinter's teams trying to set up a bunch sprint, taking an advantage of just under a minute into the final 7.7km lap around the town of Pontedera.
After co-operating well to maintain their lead, Cummings then out-sprinted Bernal on the flat finish,with Backaert completing the podium.
Nibali rolled in fourth, with the Italian's Bahrain-Merida team-mate Sonny Colbrelli winning the bunch sprint from the peloton at 12 seconds.
Results
Giro della Toscana, stage one: Pontedera to Pontedera (181.8km)
1. Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension Data, in 4-21-39
2. Egan Bernal (Col) Androni-Sidermec
3. Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, all at same time
5. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, at 12 secs
6. Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
7. Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr) UAE Team Emirates
8. Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Team Fortuneo-Oscaro
9. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
10. Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini, all at same time
General classification after stage one
1. Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension Data, in 4-21-39
2. Egan Bernal (Col) Androni-Sidermec
3. Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, all at same time
5. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, at 12 secs
6. Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
7. Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr) UAE Team Emirates
8. Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Team Fortuneo-Oscaro
9. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
10. Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini, all at same time
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