Dubai Tour 2015: Cavendish outsprints Guardini by a tube-width

The season for Vincenzo Nibali has started today, nicely in the pack, while five escapees colour the race. But their party doesn't last and thanks to Etixx they are reeled in with 20 kilometres left. Then it's up to Mark Cavendish to do what he is best at... (Slideshow route/profile)

Dubai Tour 2015: Results 1st stage

1. Mark Cavendish (gbr)
2. Andrea Guardini (ita) s.t.
3. Elia Viviani (ita) s.t.
4. Alexander Porsev (rus) s.t.
5. Juan Jose Lobato (spa) s.t.
6. Luka Mezgec (slo) s.t.
7. Andrea Palini (ita) s.t.
8. Paolo Simion (ita) s.t.
9. Daniel Oss (ita) s.t.
10. Martijn Verschoor (Nld) s.t.

GC after stage 1
1. Mark Cavendish (gbr)
2. Andrea Guardini (ita) + 0.04
3. Elia Viviani (ita) + 0.06
4. Ben Swift (gbr) + 0.07
5. Alessandro Bazzana (ita) s.t.
6. Manuele Boaro (ita) + 0.08
7. Enrico Battaglin (ita) s.t.
8. Rafael Valls (spa) + 0.09
9. Alexander Porsev (rus) + 0.10
10. Juan Jose Lobato (spa) s.t.

Race report
Five riders are off in the opening kilometres and they race to a maximum gap of 2 minutes. Alessandro Bazzana wins the first intermediate sprint, making him the virtual leader for a while. But everybody knows it will not last and with 20 km’s left the escapees are reeled in.

Ben Swift takes 3 bonus-seconds in the second intermediate sprint. Still 16 km’s left of racing.

Etixx leads the way for Mark Cavendish with a strong train, powered by Tony Martin. Cav performs his job well, albeit Andrea Guardini comes up frighteningly close.