Local star Baudin claims opening stage of Tour Auvergne-Rhones Alpes / Photo: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT - AFP
Local star Baudin claims opening stage of Tour Auvergne-Rhones Alpes
Frenchman Alex Baudin won the opening stage of the Tour Auvergne-Rhone Alpes on Sunday after a solo breakaway inside the final 30 kilometres.
On a mountainous 140km opening stage from Vizille to Saint-Ismier of the race previously known as the Criterium du Dauphine, the overall favourites kept their powder dry on the punishing first category final climb.
But on the 20km descent to the finish line, Netcompany Ineos pair Oscar Onley and Kevin Vauquelin managed to escape away in a 10-man group to gain nine seconds on the other overall contenders.
With a punishing 234km stage to come on Monday before Tuesday's crucial team time-trial, none of the favourites was willing to push too hard.
That allowed EF Education-Easy Post rider Baudin, 25, to stay away and claim the biggest victory of his career and take possession of the leader's yellow jersey.
And that in his home region, in front of his family and friends.
He was part of an initial nine-man breakaway which had shrunk to just three by the time he attacked on the 8.2km-long Cote de Rousset, which averaged a tough 7.6 percent.
Pre-race favourite Paul Seixas, also racing in his home region, had told French television in the morning that he did not want to take the leader's jersey so early in a tough eight-day race.
The race had not be pedestrian by any means, with the peloton reduced to just 30 riders when it went over the final climb.
And Seixas, alongside Spaniard Juan Ayuso and Isaac del Toro of Mexico, put in some bursts in the rapid finish to show that they have good legs for the rest of the race, which will likely be decided in the final three stages in the high mountains.
K.Lykoudis--AN-GR
