Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) won a chaotic bunch sprint to take the victory and overall race lead on the opening stage of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men in Kelso on Tuesday.
A huge turn from his Quick-Step’s Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe ensured that the Frenchman was set up perfectly in the finishing straight in the heart of the town in the Scottish borders. Once Magnier launched his sprint, there would be no stopping him, and he took the win ahead of Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech) and Robert Donaldson (Trinity Racing).
A runner up at the under-23 Paris-Roubaix in April, third place marked Donaldson’s first podium finish in a professional race.
Quick-Step attempted to split up the peloton on the day’s final climb, the category two ascent to Dingleton, but neither Evenepoel or Alaphilippe were able to force a gap. Instead, the Belgian team were forced to rely on Magnier to clean up in Kelso and ensure that Quick-Step took the overall race lead going into the second stage.
Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), an overall favourite for the race, finished fourth and goes into day two eight seconds off Magnier’s race lead.
More to come…
