Taylor Phinney wins Eneco prologue

Taylor Phinney (BMC) won the prologue of the Eneco Tour Monday and took the first leader’s jersey of the race.

Edvald Boasson Hagen was second, followed by David Millar. Overall favorite Philippe Gilbert was eighth.

“I’m super, super happy,” Phinney said. “I was surprised at how good I felt in my warm-up. I knew it was going to be a good day. This is a good race for me. Racing in Belgium and Holland is kind of my thing. It’s what I love to do. There’s another time trial in a couple days, so if I can try to hold onto the leader’s jersey until then, I definitely will. We have great riders and great staff here, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Phinney enjoyed the benefits of a dry course after rain slickened the course for the early starters.

“It was just a power course. I was able to go through it really fast,” he said.

Tuesday’s stage 1 is a flat 192km run from Oosterhout to St. Willibrord; Wednesday’s 174km route from Aalter to Ardooie is another spriter’s stage. But before Phinney will get to Friday’s 14.7km ITT, he will have to get through the race’s queen stage on Thursday. That stage in the Ardennes includes trips over the the Mur de Amay and the Mur de Huy and a tough finish circuit.

Quick results

• 1. Taylor PHINNEY, (USA) BMC Racing Team, in 6:57
• 2. Edvald BOASSON HAGEN, (NOR) Team Sky, at 7
• 3. David MILLAR, (GBR) Garmin-Cervelo, at 8
• 4. Alex RASMUSSEN, (DEN) HTC-Highroad, at 9
• 5. Lars BOOM, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 10

Complete results