Tour of Britain 2021: Van Aert powers to first leader’s jersey

Results 1st stage Tour of Britain 2021

1. Wout van Aert (bel)
2. Nils Eekhof (nld) s.t.
3. Gonzalo Serrano (spa) s.t.
4. Ethan Hayter (gbr) s.t.
5. Rory Townsend (irl) + 0.02
6. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
7. Giacomo Nizzolo (ita) s.t.
8. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
9. Xandro Meurisse (bel) s.t.
10. Kristian Sbaragli (ita) s.t.

GC after stage 1
1. Wout van Aert (bel)
2. Nils Eekhof (nld) + 0.04
3. Gonzalo Serrano (spa) + 0.06
4. Ethan Hayter (gbr) + 0.10
5. Rory Townsend (irl) + 0.12
6. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
7. Giacomo Nizzolo (ita) s.t.
8. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
9. Xandro Meurisse (bel) s.t.
10. Kristian Sbaragli (ita) s.t.

Race report
Oliver Stockwell, Jake Scott, Nic Dlamini, Max Walker and American champion Joe Rosskopf constitute the breakaway. The five open a 3 minutes gap before the peloton takes the reins.

Scott wins the first KOM sprint, Dlamini the second and third. But Scott is the first King of the Mountain, as the South African reached the top of the first climb in fifth position.

Dlamini and Rosskopf are dropped from the lead group in the last 40 kilometres, while the last three attackers are reeled in with 20 kilometres remaining.

Alaphilippe opens the sprint when the road kicks up with 400 metres to go. Van Aert sits in his wheel and overhauls the World Champion with a perfect timing. Eekhoff finishes in second, Serrano in third.

Another interesting read: route 1st stage 2021 Tour of Britain.

Tour of Britain 2021 – stage 1: routes, profiles, more

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