Live! Tour of Yorkshire Stage 1

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The Norwegian Lars Petter Nordhaug claimed what he said felt like a “home victory” for his Sky team in front of massive crowds on day one of the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire.

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Live! Tour of Yorkshire Stage 1
(thanks to Adrian Elwood for being the pilot of the motorbike that enabled me to get these images)

Read about NFTO’s recce of the stage

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Lars Petter Nordhaug celebrates the win as does his teammate Philip Deignan.

Feature – Tour of Yorkshire Day 1
Rain and a peril-strewn route through the North Yorkshire Moors had wreaked havoc earlier in the stage, with riders such as Ben Swift, Eddie Dunbar and Marcel Kittel forced to abandon.

Nordhaug will start tomorrow’s theoretically more straightforward stage to York in the race leader’s blue jersey and with a four-second advantage over Thomas Voeckler on general classification thanks to time bonuses.

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Tom Stewart of Madison Genesis leads the break from Eddie Dunbar and Mark Stewart

Party of five
Bright, cold and breezy weather greeted the 140 riders representing 18 teams and 22 countries at the start-line in Bridlington. The first meaningful break of the day formed after 21 kilometres and comprised Mark Christian (Wiggins), Loïc Chetout (FRA), Eddie Dunbar (NFTO), Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis) and Rasmus Quaade (Cult Energy).

These five riders would stay together for 75 kilometres and build a maximum lead of just under five minutes before a peloton led by Team Sky gradually clawed back their deficit. The five would be reabsorbed at the foot of the Côte de Rosedale Abbey after 91 kilometres.

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Eddie Dunbar was in such great form, who knows what he could have done showing this climbing ability on the first two KoM’s.

Kittel’s misery and a Swift exit
The hostilities recommenced with an attack from Pierrick Quéméneur (EUC) in Danby with 68 kilometres to go. The Europcar rider was soon joined by Tim Declercq of Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise (TSV), and that pair quickly built a lead of 40 seconds. Meanwhile, at the other end of the race, Marcel Kittel (TGA) was enduring a miserable time as rain started falling on the North York Moors.

Dropped earlier on the Côte de Rosedale Abbey, Kittel had battled on for 20 kilometres but decided to end his Tour de Yorkshire with just under 70 kilometres to go.

Kittel’s would be the first of several notable withdrawals. Many of them resulted from crashes on a slippery descent in Egton 53 kilometres from home. One of the two leaders, Declercq, overshot a right-hand bend and went straight on into a hedge. In the peloton, one of the pre-race favourites, Ben Swift, tumbled on the same, treacherous downhill section and would follow Kittel into the broom wagon.

Eddie Dunbar, leading the KoM competition also fell and is out of the race.

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Quéméneur leads 

Snakes and ladders
Declercq’s slip left Quéméneur alone at the head of the race, with his advantage holding at around 45 seconds over the Côte de Grosmont, with 50 kilometres to go.

Confusion in the main bunch briefly allowed the Frenchman to extend his lead to over a minute, until Anthony Turgis (Cofidis) and George Harper (ONE Pro Cycling) countered and, behind that pair, the peloton slowly began to regroup. Quéméneur still took full points on the penultimate classified climb of the day, the Côte de Briggswath after 130km, ensuring that he will wear the King of the Mountains jersey on Saturday.

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Pressure is on the hill out of Robin Hood’s Bay and splits happen in the  lead group

On the uphill climb out of Whitby, with just under 40 kilometres still to ride, the peloton finally swept up Quéméneur. Now the serious attacks began: a fifteen-man lead group starring, among others, Samuel Sanchez (BMC), Philip Deignan (SKY), Lars Petter Nordhaug (SKY), David Lopez (SKY), Thomas Voeckler (EUC) came together, leaving the MTN-Qhubeka pair of Janse Van Rensburg and Stephen Cummings caught in no man’s land with BMC’s Greg Van Avermaet.

Van Avermaet and Cummings caught the leaders only in time for a further selection to occur on the Côte de Robin Hood’s Bay after 145 kilometres. Near the top of the climb, the lead group shattered under pressure from Deignan, with the Irishman dragging four other riders clear over the summit: his team-mate Nordhaug, Voeckler, Stéphane Rossetto (COF) and Sanchez.

This quintet immediately built a lead of 20 seconds over a nine-man chase group – and had extended the gap to over a minute by the time they reached Scarborough.

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Stephen Cummings leads Erick Rowsell in the chase group but with Sky, Cofidis and BMC sitting in because of teammates up the road, they were fighting a losing battle

Team Sky sought to make their numerical advantage pay by unleashing Nordhaug with 5 kilometres to go, then, when the Norwegian was caught, by trying with Deignan 2.5 kilometres from the line, again to no avail. The attacks and counters continued until the five leaders rode under the red kite together.

At the 300-metre-to-go mark, Sanchez launched his sprint into the headwind gusting down the promenade, but was comfortably overhauled by Rossetto, who in turn couldn’t hold off Nordhaug.

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POST RACE REACTIONS
Nordhaug “It’s great to take the victory,” said Nordhaug after receiving the applause of a huge crowd in Scarborough. With all the spectators here it’s massive and I feel like I’m riding at home riding for Sky. This is really great. The team were so strong today, riding all day to make it hard. We were riding for Ben Swift but he crashed pretty hard which is a shame. Then I had to try and do something.”

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“I felt a bit tired at the start after Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday but after 100km when we started riding really hard I felt better and better. I was afraid of (Samuel) Sanchez and especially Voeckler in the sprint. I tried one attack to see how strong they were but that was only to try and win the sprint”.

“This stage was a lot harder than I thought. But that was because we were riding hard as a team and the team did a great job. I think it will be hard for the next two days.”

Deignan added “It was a lot harder than it looked on paper. It was deceptive. I’m sure quite a few people were taken by surprise by it. Tomorrow should hopefully be fairly straightforward with a bunch sprint but the last day should be pretty brutal from what I’ve heard”.

“But we’ve got a strong team here and Lars is obviously in great form. I don’t think we need to be afraid of anything.”

Erick Rowsell (Madison Genesis): “That was a tough day. The team rode fantastic and put me in a good positon at every dangerous moment. A few people thought it would be a controlled race but I had a few doubts it being that over that sort of terrain and then throw in some rain and wind.”

“The crash was unlucky for a lot of riders and split the race and it was pretty tough from then on in. The main race move came coming out of Whitby on a short steep climb coming over the top of that and that was when our group formed. It wasn’t a big group and then it split again out of Robin Hood bay and I was in the perfect position when it went but I just didn’t have the legs to go with the likes of Voeckler and co.”

“I gave it everything chasing but we had two BMC’s sitting on and one from Europecar and it was mainly me and Steve Cummings riding right up to the end. I am happy with the ride though. To be honest, riding for Netapp last year, I probably would not have got this result because I would have been riding for someone else. The thing for me is I am happy in this team and they are giving me opportunities and that is the main thing.”

Steele von Hoff (NFTO): “That race was exactly as how I expected it to be. When we did the recce, we knew it was going to be like that and it was just unfortunate how the split happened. There was a huge crash which unfortunately took out Eddie who was going for the KoM jersey so that is a big shame for him and us.”

“From then on, it split after some Sky guys came down like Swifty went down badly and a few teammates went back for him and all of a sudden there was no control at the front because they were the ones who were controlling it. So it was just constant attacks again without the control and it was somewhat like a British race! We should have been right there but the way it was, it was just so hard on a really grippy day.”

“It was fun to be back in this level of racing and it was the terrain today that was undoing everyone. The racing for me I find easier because of the control but the hills were just the next level. I am looking forward to tomorrow. It’s forecast to be a windy day so it should be exciting.”

James Lowsley Williams (NFTO): “It was fast from the start and we had most of the moves covered and then we went up a little rise and Eddie got in the break and we sat back and looked after Steele and he made sure we were all together.”

“When Eddie came back over the moors, Jonny (McEvoy) and I were in a good position up front and the bunch splintered. I looked behind and there were not many behind! It then started to rain and I was trying to get Eddy in a good position at the front in readiness for the KoM and the descent became an ice rink.”

“A guy went down, so did I, a few others and so did Eddy. It was race over for us then and it was Bibby and Steele. I am okay though. Swifty came down and the hedge looked like the best option for me but I had to wait for a new bike and ended up in the back group which wasn’t ideal for me.”

Scott Davies (GB):The Under 23 British TT Champion and Welsh climber finished 14th and was being congratulated by many before we spoke and he explained how it’s not often the GB Academy rider gets the chance to ride against the World Tour Pros.

“”It was a good day out, a good experience and I’m pleased with it so far. I didn’t feel too bad on the first climb and was able to move up quite a bit and put myself into a good positon for the lanes. The race was quite a lot more controlled than the races I normally do.”

“Those races can be quite savage, quite chaotic so in that sense, it’s a nice change to do a race that was a bit calmer and more controlled. My aim now is to stay safe and try and recover as much as I can and hopefully do a good ride on Sunday.” Scott finished by saying he hasn’t done any recces of the route but with teammates who live in the area, he’s had plenty of tips on what he faces.

Russell Downing (Cult Energy): “That was grippy! It was always up and down and never really off so I’m disappointed not to make that front group. I was feeling really good but that’s bike racing. We tried to bring it back from behind but we never made it.”

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“The crash was quite weird because no-one knew quite what to do after and it was really strange. I felt good though and it was the first time of racing since Amstel and banging my knee so it was good to have a good blow out today. Hopefully I’ll be better tomorrow and Sunday for sure.”

Stephen Cummings: “We mind of missed the boat today and it was a bit frustrating at the end the lack of a chase in his group for the leaders.) I didn’t feel super out there and when it’s like that and you are there or there abouts, it’s quite good. The stage was quite calm but harder than people expected as normal here. After the crash though it was chaos. No-one really knew who was up or down or in the front or back. It’s good to be back home riding, cold but nice!”

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Most Agressive award went to: Perrig Quemeneur, Europcar

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The five leaders heading for homewith a lot chasing behind

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Stephen Cummings

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George Harper of One Pro Cycling attacking to chase the two leaders in the final thir dof the race.

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 Perrig Quemeneur, Europcar makes his move on one of the many climbs

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Great crowds came out to see the stage, especially in the towns and cities and the KoM climbs

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For a large part of the race, Team Sky controlled it until wet roads felled some of its riders and saw Ben Swift exit the race.

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Bradley Wiggins first UCI race in the kit that bears his name.

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Pete Williams of One Pro Cycling chased the five leaders for a long time but was unable to close the gap.

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NFTO’s Jonny McEvoy gets in a move but the peloton doesn’t let it go.

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Dan Craven of Europecar, the one with the beard, was back racing in the UK.

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The opening hour of racing was frantic with lots of attacks

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The break has gone and the GB boys are on the front enjoying some banter

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The first move I got to see after a few miles

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The start of the race in Bridlington

RESULT
STAGE 1
1 Lars Petter Nordhaug,Team Sky 4:22:38
2 Thomas Voeckler,Europcar
3 Stéphane Rossetto, Cofidis, Solutions Credits
4 Samuel Sanchez, BMC Racing
5 Philip Deignan, Team Sky
6 Greg Van Avermaet,BMC Racing 0:01:10
7 Anthony Turgis, Cofidis, Solutions Credits
8 Erick Rowsell, Madison Genesis
9 Richard Handley, JLT Condor
10 Huub Duijn (Ned) Team Roompot

11 Ben Hermans, BMC Racing 0:01:13
14 Scott Davies, Great Britain
15 Stephen Cummings, MTN – Qhubeka
16 Russell Downing, Cult Energy Pro Cycling 0:02:21
19 Karol Domagalski, Raleigh
22 Steven Lampier, Raleigh
28 Lars Van Der Haar, Giant-Alpecin 0:03:39
30 Morgan Kneisky, Raleigh
33 Gabriel Cullaigh, Great Britain
34 Marcin Bialoblocki, One Pro Cycling
36 Robert Partridge, NFTO
41 Steele von Hoff, NFTO
43 George Harper, One Pro Cycling
44 Kristian House, JLT Condor
47 Joshua Edmondson, Great Britain
49 Michael Thompson, Team WIGGINS
59 Michael Cuming, JLT Condor
61 Mike Northey, Madison Genesis
62 Thomas Stewart, Madison Genesis
63 Jonathan McEvoy, NFTO
65 Ian Bibby, NFTO
66 Liam Holohan, Madison Genesis
67 Mark Christian, Team WIGGINS
68 Owain Doull, Team WIGGINS 0:07:10
69 Thomas Scully, Madison Genesis
70 Yanto Barker, One Pro Cycling

71 Nick Dougall (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka 0:13:57
72 Harry Tanfield, JLT Condor
73 Iain Paton, Team WIGGINS
74 Evan Oliphant, Raleigh
75 Peter Williams, One Pro Cycling
79 Matt Brammeier (Irl) MTN – Qhubeka 0:14:52
80 Luke Grivell-Mellor, JLT Condor
81 Bradley Morgan, Raleigh
85 Tobyn Horton, Madison Genesis
89 James McLaughlin, Madison Genesis
92 Jake Kelly, Great Britain
93 Dan Craven Nam Europcar
94 Joshua Hunt, One Pro Cycling
95 Christopher Lawless, Team WIGGINS
96 Bradley Wiggins, Team WIGGINS
98 Olivier Wood, Great Britain
100 Andrew Tennant, Team WIGGINS
102 Dexter Gardias, One Pro Cycling 0:16:40
104 James Lowsley Williams, NFTO
109 Tom Barras, NFTO
111 Andrew Hawdon, Raleigh
118 Dale Appleby, NFTO
119 Calvin Beneke, Raleigh
120 Ian Wilkinson, Raleigh
121 Christopher Latham, Great Britain 0:16:43
124 Mark McNally, Madison Genesis
125 Thomas Moses, JLT Condor
126 Edward Clancy, JLT Condor
127 Germain Burton, Great Britain
128 Mark Stewart, Great Britain
130 Chris Opie, One Pro Cycling
131 Marc Hester (Den) One Pro Cycling
132 Graham Briggs, JLT Condor
DNF Eddie Dunbar, NFTO
DNF Marcel Kittel, Giant-Alpecin
DNF Ben Swift, Team Sky
DNF Steven Burke, Team WIGGINS

KoM 1
1 Eddie Dunbar, NFTO 5 pts
2 Thomas Stewart, Madison Genesis 3
3 Mark Christian, Team WIGGINS 2

KoM 2
1 Eddie Dunbar, NFTO 5 pts
2 Thomas Stewart, Madison Genesis 3
3 Mark Christian, Team WIGGINS 2

Most aggressive: Perrig Quemeneur, Europcar
OVERALL
1. Lars Petter Nordhaug, Team Sky 4:22:28
2. Thomas Voeckler, Europcar 0:00:04
3. Stéphane Rossetto, Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:06
4. Samuel Sanchez, BMC Racing 0:00:10
5. Philip Deignan, Team Sky
6. Anthony Turgis, Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:18
7. Greg Van Avermaet, BMC Racing 0:01:20
8. Erick Rowsell, Madison Genesis
9. Richard Handley, JLT Condor
10. Huub Duijn, Team Roompot
11. Ben Hermans, BMC Racing 0:01:23
12. David Lopez, Team Sky
13. Merhawi Kudus,MTN – Qhubeka
14. Scott Davies, Great Britain
15. Stephen Cummings,MTN – Qhubeka
16. Perrig Quemeneur, Europcar 0:02:28
17. Russell Downing, Cult Energy Pro Cycling 0:02:31
18. Thomas Sprengers, Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
19. Joseph Rosskopf, BMC Racing
20. Karol Domagalski, Raleigh GAC

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