Kamyshev too quick on opening stage

A bunch sprint decided the opening stage of the Coupe des Nations – Ville de Saguenay with Kazakh Arman Kamyshev first across the finish line. He narrowly defeated Dane Patrick Clausen, who claimed the yellow leader's jersey by virtue of time bonuses, which confer him a slight lead of two seconds over the stage winner. Italian Thomas Fiumana rounded out the podium.

"It was a difficult day. There was a lot of wind and the rain was annoying, so we had to slow down the pace at the end," Kamyshev said through an interpreter. "At the end of the last lap, I attacked several times in order to stay well positioned for the sprint." Second overall last year, he believes his chances are good this year. It is indeed an admitted goal.

It was under an uncertain sky that the 88 riders started the 140.7 kilometres race taking Jonquiere's streets. Early in the race, a breakaway of three cyclists animated the stage. The fugitive trio was however caught before completing the first lap. A few attacks were conducted during the next two laps, but none were successful.

Halfway into the race, two competitors took off from the peloton. Four cyclists who went to their pursuit soon joined them. The lead group had to surrender against a peloton at full blast. With less than 40 kilometres to complete, many attempted to breakaway, but on the seventh and decisive lap, all escapees had reintegrated with the bunch. A crash that occurred in the last kilometres blew the chances of some and tainted the event's outcome, which was finally determined in the sprint.

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