Roux prevails in sprint to Longwy

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Anthony Roux (FDJ) took a strong sprint victory in Longwy at the first stage of the Circuit de Lorraine, outpowering Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil) and Laurent Mangel (Saur Sojasun) for second and third. Roux, who also won the final stage of last year's event, won on an uphill finishing straight and will now have to defend the leader's jersey.

"It's exceptional," he said in the finish. "I knew that this finish suited me." The Frenchman already placed third at that same finish two years ago, which played to his advantage. "It's easier when you know the finale, but it was still man against man. And I won by far."

The stage had been dominated by an early breakaway including Guillaume Faucon (BigMat-Auber 93), Loïc Desriac (Roubaix-Lille Métropole), Fabio Piscopiello (De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia) and Oleg Chuzhda (Caja Rural), who rode in front of the bunch for 80 kilometres. At the last hill, plenty of attacks were launched to prevent a bunch sprint but Feillu's Vacansoleil squad kept the bunch together - with rival Roux finally taking the honours.

Stage two from Briey to Commercy on Friday will be leading the field through the Vosges mountain range and may be decisive for the overall classification.Anthony Roux (FDJ) took a strong sprint victory over a blasting field in Longwy at the first stage of the Circuit de Lorraine, outpowering Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil) and Laurent Mangel (Saur Sojasun) for second and third. Roux, who also won the final stage of last year's event, won on an uphill finishing straight and will now have to defend the leader's jersey.

"It's exceptional," he said in the finish. "I knew that this finish suited me." The Frenchman already placed third at that same finish two years ago, which played to his advantage. "It's easier when you know the finale, but it was still man against man. And I won by far."

The stage had been dominated by an early breakaway including Guillaume Faucon (BigMat-Auber 93), Loïc Desriac (Roubaix-Lille Métropole), Fabio Piscopiello (De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia) and Oleg Chuzhda (Caja Rural), who rode in front of the bunch for 80 kilometres. At the last hill, plenty of attacks were launched to prevent a bunch sprint but Feillu's Vacansoleil squad kept the bunch together - with rival Roux finally taking the honours.

Stage two from Briey to Commercy on Friday will be leading the field through the Vosges mountain range and may be decisive for the overall classification.