77 Riders are here for the start of the first stage.
The break of the day is a bit split: Three riders in three different groups:
Sobal (NOS), Van Zandbeek (Ultimate) and Butterfield (Wal-Mart). This is the same order they cross the first mountain sprint in.
The three riders got four minutes to the pack and are a minute apart from each other.
Half way through the stage with very little change: Sobal's advantage peaks at 6'24".
Sobal also takes the other mountain sprint meaning he is the undisputed man in the dotted jersey tommorow.
In the back though, a group of riders attack meaning that Van Zandbeek just loses out on more points. Del Nero (Santander) and Vital (Energie - Diesel) gets second and third on the sprint.
The group maybe only had been in it for the points, but they did give Sobal in the front some extra breathing room as he crossed the 20km to go mark around 2'30.
And Sobal might just do it. The pack crosses the 10 to go mark 1 minute and 41 seconds after him.
Okay its a small chance. 5 to go and he got 34 seconds.
And there it ends. Now its time for the sprint.
On the left: Two Jack Wolfskin riders (Sentjens in front of Sieberg). Vaitkus and Pichot from Wal-Mart.
On the right: BMC's Tolleson with Sinner almost on wheel.
Right behind everyone: Santander's Guerao and Ventoso train.
Off the picture: Kirchen, three Irn-Bru riders, some Energie riders, some NOS riders. Bunch of different sprinters.
1.1 to go: Actually its a one-sided sprint. Tolleson delivers Sinner perfectly and Pichot does his best to stay on wheel but fails.
And Team BMC takes a deserved victory here today.
Vaitkus is second and Sieberg (Wolfskin) and Ventoso (Santander) takes the next spots.
