Tour of Britain: Stage 1

Stage 1 of the Tour of Britain finished with a bunch finish won by Dylan Groenewegen; the days break saw Rory Townsend net the Sprinters jersey and Jacob Scott the Mountains one

Tour of Britain: Stage 1

Race Leader: Dylan Groenewegen
Mountains Leader: Jacob Scott
Sprints Leader: Rory Townsend (Canyon DHB)
Points: Dylan Groenewegen

Report

Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen returned to the Tour of Britain in style on Saturday, winning the opening stage of the 2019 race between Glasgow and Kirkcudbright in Scotland.

Photo: Getty Images

Groenewegen, a two-time stage winner in the event, beat Davide Cimolai (Israel Cycling Academy) and former European champion Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-SCOTT) to the line in the Dumfries & Galloway market town after a textbook lead-out from his Jumbo – Visma Cycling team-mates.

He takes the green jersey of race leader going into Sunday’s second stage in the Scottish Borders. “It was perfect,” said Groenewegen afterwards. “We had no help today so we did it all as a team, we rode very strongly to catch the breakaway and make it a sprint. I could take my own line; it was a very good lead out. I was on the wheel of Trentin, and sprinted full gas. I’ll look at the road book this evening and hope to win another stage. I think tomorrow’s a new chance and I will try again.”

Team Jumbo Visma had worked tirelessly on the front of the peloton throughout the stage south from Glasgow city centre, with little assistance from other teams. Their work kept the day’s breakaway pinned with never more than a two minute advantage, as Rory Townsend (Canyon dhb p/b Bloor Homes), James Fouche (Team WIGGINS Le Col), Jacob Scott (Swift Carbon Pro Cycling) and Dries de Bondt (Corendon Circus) toiled in the warm Scottish sunshine on the race’s longest day.

Consolation for Townsend was the Sprints jersey, Combativity Award and a position second in the general classification thanks to time bonuses, three seconds behind Groenewegen. “It was an absolutely epic stage,” said Townsend following the finish in Kirkcudbright.

“The stage itself it started really hard, it seemed like a lot more people were interested in trying to get away this year, I think maybe just the nature of the course means that people don’t necessarily know what they’re going to get out of the race so maybe there’s a little bit more interest in the breakaway so yeah it took a while to go and then once it was the right formation of riders we were away but it seemed like quite a nervous day, we never got more than a minute forty and for 200 kilometres you’re always sort of looking over your shoulder which is not always too much fun but all in all we’re really happy with the day.”

“The combativity is a nice extra bonus, that for me is the icing on the cake because to be voted by the people watching at home is so flattering, really, really nice.”

Jacob Scott led the race over all three King of the Mountains climbs to take the best climbers jersey, already with a five point advantage on fellow escapee James Fouche.

Stage Two takes in 165 kilometres of the picturesque Scottish Borders, starting and finishing in Kelso’s main cobbled square, passing through Coldstream, Duns and Melrose during the day.

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Stage 1
1 Dylan Groenewegen Team Jumbo – Visma 04:39:49
2 Davide Cimolai Israel Cycling Academy
3 Matteo Trentin Mitchelton – Scott
4 Mathieu van der Poel Corendon – Circus
5 Ben Swift Team Ineos
6 Boris Vallée Wanty – Groupe Gobert
7 Trond Håkon Trondsen Wanty – Groupe Gobert
8 Jasper De Buyst Lotto – Soudal
9 Matthew Bostock Canyon DHB
10 Sacha Modolo EF Education First
11 Matthew Walls Great Britain Cycling Team
12 Milan Menten Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
13 Nils Eekhoff Team Sunweb
14 Ethan Vernon Great Britain Cycling Team
15 Loic Vliegen Wanty – Groupe Gobert
16 Andreas Stokbro Nielsen Riwal Readynez
17 Cees Bol Team Sunweb
18 Dries van Gestel Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
19 Harry Tanfield Team Katusha – Alpecin
20 Thimo Willems Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
21 Jens Debusschere Team Katusha – Alpecin
22 Andrey Amador Movistar Team
23 Peter Williams SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
24 Brent Van Moer Lotto – Soudal
25 Yoann Offredo Wanty – Groupe Gobert
26 Gabriel Cullaigh Team Wiggins-Le Col
27 Nils Politt Team Katusha – Alpecin
28 Robert Scott Team Wiggins-Le Col
29 Simon Clarke EF Education First
30 Mark Cavendish Team Dimension Data
31 Tom Van Asbroeck Israel Cycling Academy
32 Lawrence Warbasse AG2R La Mondiale
33 Pavel Sivakov Team Ineos
34 Sebastian Langeveld EF Education First
35 Chris Hamilton Team Sunweb
36 Mickaël Cherel AG2R La Mondiale
37 Alex Dowsett Team Katusha – Alpecin
38 Alex Edmondson Mitchelton – Scott
39 Jack Bauer Mitchelton – Scott
40 Tiesj Benoot Lotto – Soudal
41 Emil Nygaard Vinjebo Riwal Readynez
42 Connor Swift Great Britain Cycling Team
43 Tanel Kangert EF Education First
44 Amund Grøndahl Jansen Team Jumbo – Visma
45 James Shaw SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
46 Danilo Wyss Team Dimension Data
47 Benjamin Perry Israel Cycling Academy
48 Thomas Sprengers Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
49 Aaron Verwilst Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
50 Julien Vermote Team Dimension Data
51 Carlos Verona Movistar Team
52 Wesley Kreder Wanty – Groupe Gobert
53 Jake Stewart Great Britain Cycling Team
54 Gediminas Bagdonas AG2R La Mondiale
55 Otto Vergaerde Corendon – Circus
56 Matthew Holmes Madison – Genesis
57 Mark Donovan Team Wiggins-Le Col
58 Gianni Moscon Team Ineos
59 Hector Carretero Movistar Team
60 Lasse Norman Hansen Corendon – Circus
61 Luis Villalobos EF Education First
62 Mads Würtz Schmidt Team Katusha – Alpecin
63 Ryan Christensen Canyon DHB
64 Juri Hollmann Team Katusha – Alpecin
65 Rory Townsend Canyon DHB
66 Rasmus Byriel Iversen Lotto – Soudal
67 Eduardo Sepulveda Movistar Team
68 Benjamin Declercq Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
69 Edoardo Affini Mitchelton – Scott
70 Mike Teunissen Team Jumbo – Visma
71 Alex Paton Canyon DHB
72 Roy Curvers Team Sunweb
73 Edward Dunbar Team Ineos
74 Dylan Van Baarle Team Ineos
75 Cameron Meyer Mitchelton – Scott
76 Luke Durbridge Mitchelton – Scott
77 Jim Brown Great Britain Cycling Team
78 Moreno Hofland EF Education First
79 Chad Haga Team Sunweb
80 Mark Christian Team Wiggins-Le Col
81 Philip Walsleben Corendon – Circus
82 Erick Rowsell Madison – Genesis
83 Michael Cuming Madison – Genesis
84 Lucas Eriksson Riwal Readynez
85 Ben Hardy SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
86 Xandro Meurisse Wanty – Groupe Gobert
87 Tony Gallopin AG2R La Mondiale
88 Ben Hermans Israel Cycling Academy
89 Samuel Jenner Team Wiggins-Le Col
90 Jimmy Janssens Corendon – Circus
91 Omer Goldstein Israel Cycling Academy
92 Steve Cummings Team Dimension Data
93 Carlos Barbero Movistar Team
94 Ben Gastauer AG2R La Mondiale
95 Michal Golas Team Ineos
96 Jos Van Emden Team Jumbo – Visma
97 Jonathan Dibben Madison – Genesis
98 Pascal Eenkhoorn Team Jumbo – Visma
99 Tristan Robbins SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
100 Remy Mertz Lotto – Soudal
101 Mikel Landa Movistar Team
102 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke Riwal Readynez
103 Mark Renshaw Team Dimension Data
104 Alex Colman Canyon DHB
105 Jonathan McEvoy Madison – Genesis
106 Joey Walker Madison – Genesis
107 Edward Laverack SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
108 Dries De Bondt Corendon – Circus
109 Axel Domont AG2R La Mondiale
110 Alexander Kamp Riwal Readynez
111 Frederik Frison Lotto – Soudal
112 Rhys Britton Great Britain Cycling Team
113 Florian Stork Team Sunweb
114 Conor Dunne Israel Cycling Academy
115 Torkil Veyhe Riwal Readynez @ 40
116 Thomas Stewart Canyon DHB @ 40
117 Jacob Scott SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling @ 01:07
118 Bernhard Eisel Team Dimension Data @ 01:29
119 James Fouche Team Wiggins-Le Col @ 03:23
120 Koen Bouwman Team Jumbo – Visma @ 04:31
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Overall
1 Dylan Groenewegen Team Jumbo – Visma 04:39:39
2 Rory Townsend Canyon DHB @ 03
3 Davide Cimolai Israel Cycling Academy @ 04
4 Gediminas Bagdonas AG2R La Mondiale @ 04
5 Dries De Bondt Corendon – Circus @ 05
6 Matteo Trentin Mitchelton – Scott @ 06
7 Mathieu van der Poel Corendon – Circus @ 10
8 Ben Swift Team Ineos @ 10
9 Boris Vallée Wanty – Groupe Gobert @ 10
10 Trond Håkon Trondsen Wanty – Groupe Gobert @ 10
11 Jasper De Buyst Lotto – Soudal @ 10
12 Matthew Bostock Canyon DHB @ 10
13 Sacha Modolo EF Education First @ 10
14 Matthew Walls Great Britain Cycling Team @ 10
15 Milan Menten Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise @ 10
16 Nils Eekhoff Team Sunweb @ 10
17 Ethan Vernon Great Britain Cycling Team @ 10
18 Loic Vliegen Wanty – Groupe Gobert @ 10
19 Andreas Stokbro Nielsen Riwal Readynez @ 10
20 Cees Bol Team Sunweb @ 10
21 Dries van Gestel Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise @ 10
22 Harry Tanfield Team Katusha – Alpecin @ 10
23 Thimo Willems Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise @ 10
24 Jens Debusschere Team Katusha – Alpecin @ 10
25 Andrey Amador Movistar Team @ 10
26 Peter Williams SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling @ 10
27 Brent Van Moer Lotto – Soudal @ 10
28 Yoann Offredo Wanty – Groupe Gobert @ 10
29 Gabriel Cullaigh Team Wiggins-Le Col @ 10
30 Nils Politt Team Katusha – Alpecin @ 10
31 Robert Scott Team Wiggins-Le Col @ 10
32 Simon Clarke EF Education First @ 10
33 Mark Cavendish Team Dimension Data @ 10
34 Tom Van Asbroeck Israel Cycling Academy @ 10
35 Lawrence Warbasse AG2R La Mondiale @ 10
36 Pavel Sivakov Team Ineos @ 10
37 Sebastian Langeveld EF Education First @ 10
38 Chris Hamilton Team Sunweb @ 10
39 Mickaël Cherel AG2R La Mondiale @ 10
40 Alex Dowsett Team Katusha – Alpecin @ 10
41 Alex Edmondson Mitchelton – Scott @ 10
42 Jack Bauer Mitchelton – Scott @ 10
43 Tiesj Benoot Lotto – Soudal @ 10
44 Emil Nygaard Vinjebo Riwal Readynez @ 10
45 Connor Swift Great Britain Cycling Team @ 10
46 Tanel Kangert EF Education First @ 10
47 Amund Grøndahl Jansen Team Jumbo – Visma @ 10
48 James Shaw SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling @ 10
49 Danilo Wyss Team Dimension Data @ 10
50 Benjamin Perry Israel Cycling Academy @ 10
51 Thomas Sprengers Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise @ 10
52 Aaron Verwilst Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise @ 10
53 Julien Vermote Team Dimension Data @ 10
54 Carlos Verona Movistar Team @ 10
55 Wesley Kreder Wanty – Groupe Gobert @ 10
56 Jake Stewart Great Britain Cycling Team @ 10
57 Otto Vergaerde Corendon – Circus @ 10
58 Matthew Holmes Madison – Genesis @ 10
59 Mark Donovan Team Wiggins-Le Col @ 10
60 Gianni Moscon Team Ineos @ 10
61 Hector Carretero Movistar Team @ 10
62 Lasse Norman Hansen Corendon – Circus @ 10
63 Luis Villalobos EF Education First @ 10
64 Mads Würtz Schmidt Team Katusha – Alpecin @ 10
65 Ryan Christensen Canyon DHB @ 10
66 Juri Hollmann Team Katusha – Alpecin @ 10
67 Rasmus Byriel Iversen Lotto – Soudal @ 10
68 Eduardo Sepulveda Movistar Team @ 10
69 Benjamin Declercq Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise @ 10
70 Edoardo Affini Mitchelton – Scott @ 10
71 Mike Teunissen Team Jumbo – Visma @ 10
72 Alex Paton Canyon DHB @ 10
73 Roy Curvers Team Sunweb @ 10
74 Edward Dunbar Team Ineos @ 10
75 Dylan Van Baarle Team Ineos @ 10
76 Cameron Meyer Mitchelton – Scott @ 10
77 Luke Durbridge Mitchelton – Scott @ 10
78 Jim Brown Great Britain Cycling Team @ 10
79 Moreno Hofland EF Education First @ 10
80 Chad Haga Team Sunweb @ 10
81 Mark Christian Team Wiggins-Le Col @ 10
82 Philip Walsleben Corendon – Circus @ 10
83 Erick Rowsell Madison – Genesis @ 10
84 Michael Cuming Madison – Genesis @ 10
85 Lucas Eriksson Riwal Readynez @ 10
86 Ben Hardy SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling @ 10
87 Xandro Meurisse Wanty – Groupe Gobert @ 10
88 Tony Gallopin AG2R La Mondiale @ 10
89 Ben Hermans Israel Cycling Academy @ 10
90 Samuel Jenner Team Wiggins-Le Col @ 10
91 Jimmy Janssens Corendon – Circus @ 10
92 Omer Goldstein Israel Cycling Academy @ 10
93 Steve Cummings Team Dimension Data @ 10
94 Carlos Barbero Movistar Team @ 10
95 Ben Gastauer AG2R La Mondiale @ 10
96 Michal Golas Team Ineos @ 10
97 Jos Van Emden Team Jumbo – Visma @ 10
98 Jonathan Dibben Madison – Genesis @ 10
99 Pascal Eenkhoorn Team Jumbo – Visma @ 10
100 Tristan Robbins SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling @ 10
101 Remy Mertz Lotto – Soudal @ 10
102 Mikel Landa Movistar Team @ 10
103 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke Riwal Readynez @ 10
104 Mark Renshaw Team Dimension Data @ 10
105 Alex Colman Canyon DHB @ 10
106 Jonathan McEvoy Madison – Genesis @ 10
107 Joey Walker Madison – Genesis @ 10
108 Edward Laverack SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling @ 10
109 Axel Domont AG2R La Mondiale @ 10
110 Alexander Kamp Riwal Readynez @ 10
111 Frederik Frison Lotto – Soudal @ 10
112 Rhys Britton Great Britain Cycling Team @ 10
113 Florian Stork Team Sunweb @ 10
114 Conor Dunne Israel Cycling Academy @ 10
115 Torkil Veyhe Riwal Readynez @ 50
116 Thomas Stewart Canyon DHB @ 50
117 Jacob Scott SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling @ 01:17
118 Bernhard Eisel Team Dimension Data @ 01:39
119 James Fouche Team Wiggins-Le Col @ 03:33
120 Koen Bouwman Team Jumbo – Visma @ 04:41