Usov wins l’Avenir opener

• Results

By VeloNews Interactive

Belorussian Alexandre Usov (Phonak) won the 180km first stage of the Tour de l’Avenir, winning a field sprint into the town of Craon. Usov edged out Nicolas Liboreau (Bigmat)and Francaise des Jeux’ Jean-Patrick Nazon to take the opening stage of France’s “Tour of the Future,” the event touted as a “little brother” to the Tour de France.

The stage was marked by a long escape of eight riders, including Mercury’s Baden Cooke. The group was caught with 14km to go, however, setting up a field sprint won by Usov.

Results

Stage 1 – Cosse-le-Vivien – Craon

1. USOV Alexandre (BLR), Phonak, 180km in 4:06:44;
2. LIBOREAU Nicolas (F), Bigmat;
3. NAZON Jean-Patrick (F), Francaise des Jeux;
4. CLERC Aurélien (SWI), Post Swiss;
5. KUPKA David (CZ), Czech National;
6. BONOMI Giosuè (I), Colpak;
7. HULSMANS Kevin (B), Mapei;
8. SCHOONACKER Jehudi (B), Vlaanderen-T Interim-Eddy Merckx;
9. GASPARRE Graziano (I), Mapei;
10. DUMOULIN Samuel (F), Francaise des Jeux;
11. PENCOLE Franck (F), Bigmat;
12. LEMBO Eddy (F), Jean Delatour;
13. KLUCK Damon (USA), U.S. National;
14. ISASI FLORES Inaki (SP), Euskaltel-Euskadi;
15. COOKE Baden (AUS), Mercury;
16. JOGERT Rune (N), Norwegian National;
17. SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel (SP), Euskaltel-Euskadi;
18. VANNOPPEN Tom (B), Vlaanderen-T Interim-Eddy Merckx;
19. KRUSZHEVSKIY Sergey (UZ), St. Quentin;
20. VAN CAPELLEN Danny (B), Vlaanderen-T Interim-Eddy Merckx;
21. SASSONE Robert (F), Cofidis;
22. SESTAK Petr (CZ), Czech National;
23. VRANA Kamil (CZ), Czech National;
24. VERSTRAETEN Jan (B), Vlaanderen-T Interim-Eddy Merckx;
25. CORTES Alejandro(Col), Orbitel, Vlaanderen-T Interim-Eddy Merckx, all s.t.

Overall after stage 1

1. Usov, 4:06:34; 2. Liboreau, at 0:02; 3. Nazon, at 0:03; 4. Cooke, at 0:07; 5. Cuenca, s.t.