Guarnieri speeds to first stage win

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Italy's Jacopo Guarnieri (Liquigas-Doimo) won his first ever professional road race in last year's Tour of Poland and he struck again on the opening stage of the 67th edition of the race in Warsaw on Sunday.

The 22 year-old former European and Italian pursuit and Madison champion used his speed to power from the small group that was ahead of a massive pile-up with 1.5km to go, topping Euskaltel-Euskadi's Aitor Galdos and Allan Davis (Astana).

The stage ended on the wide roads of central Warsaw but the riders were fighting for position and a flick near the front put other riders in the barriers, including Saxo Bank's JJ Haedo. He was still sitting in the road stunned and angry after Guarnieri had crossed the line.

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For the Italian stage winner and new leader of the ProTour event, it was a big moment in his budding career. "It's a really important success for me. Maybe the most important one of my career," said Guarnieri afterwards. "I've been racing at the professional level only for three years and so far I haven't had to many chances to compete in many big races."

"I'm not the only Liquigas-Doimo sprinter in the Polish race. There is also Daniele Bennati and Peter Sagan and I'm really happy that I was able to win on the first day and claim the yellow jersey."

It was known from the very beginning that the Polish riders would be aggressive and try to get in the breakaway. That's why it was no surprise that Lukasz Bodnar (Polish National Team) attacked right after the start gun. He tried to break clear with Florian Stalder (BMC Racing) and Marco Corti (Footon Servetto), but the peloton didn't let them go too far and it absorbed the trio as quickly as it was launched.

The next move was made by Blazej Janiaczyk (Polish National Team) at kilometer 10. He was joined by Michael Schar (BMC Racing), Laszlo Bodrogi (Katyusha) and Daniel Sesma (Euskaltel Euskadi). They soon gained 6 minute advantage and that's as far ahead as the four leading riders got.

Fryederyk Chopin was the background theme of the first stage and Janiaczyk won the intermediate sprint in Zelazowa Wola, were Chopin was born 200 years ago. The Polish rider was awarded a statue representing image of the greatest polish composer, whose music accompanied the peloton on the starting line.

The next three intermediate sprints were won consecutively by Schar and twice by Janiaczyk. Four riders worked well together but the HTC-Columbia-led peloton reduced the gap to only 1:25 with 80 kilometers to go.

Right before entering the first of 8 laps in Warsaw there was a crash in the bunch which involved Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) and Timothy Gudsell (Francaise Des Jeux). The latter had to abandon the race due to broken collarbone.

The feed zone slowed down the peloton and gave some hopes to the escapees, as their advantage increased to 2:40. Andre Greipel's team controlled the pace of the chase but didn't want to catch the breakaway too early to avoid any counterattacks.

The stage was held on the 66th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising. To pay tribute to the heroes of the uprising, the Tour de Pologne's organizers set out a special intermediate sprint that was taken by Schar.

When Katusha and Astana joined HTC-Columbia in the front of the chase pack, the bunch turned up the volume and quickly cut the gap to 35 seconds with 30 kilometers to go. When the breakaway was within striking distance Bodrogi decided to take off in a solo effort. He took the victory on the next to last intermediate sprint and continued to go alone. Janiaczyk, Schar and Sesma were caught by the field 22 kilometers from the finish line.

Bodrogi managed to increase his lead to 55 seconds, but the Hungarian-turned-Frenchman didn't have too much longer out front after two riders jumped off the bunch and joined the front of the race. It was Bodnar and Steve Houanard (Skil Shimano). The former Polish time trial champion attacked to win the only mountain prime of the stage and claimed the mountain jersey.

The escape was over with 8 kilometers to go and the sprinters' teams started to increase the pace to get their fastest men into position for the final sprint in Warsaw.

Just before the red triangle which indicates the last kilometer, a massive crash happened. Some of the GC contenders, including Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing) went down. In the chaotic finish Jacopo Guarnieri got a great lead out from his Liqugas-Doimo teammate and took a win. He bested Aitor Alonso Galdos (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Allan Davis (Astana).

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