Theo Bos (Blanco) surged to victory in the opening stage of Criterium International, out-gunning Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ) and Jonathan Cantwell (Saxo-Tinkoff) in a bunch sprint.

The Dutchman was one of the favourites heading into the flat, fast 89km loop of Porto-Vecchio and he duly delivered his fourth win of the season.

A small group of five riders broke away after 10km, with Yukiya Arashiro (Europcar), with Jeremy Roy (FDJ), Romain Hardy (Cofidis), Gerard (Bretagne-Seche Environnemen) and Antoine Lavieu (Le Pomme Marseille), gaining 3:10 after 31km.

The breakaway, led by Gerard who collected the mountain points of offer, reached the summit of the only classified climb of the day, the 2.1km, 5.7% Cote de Conca, 1:35 in credit, with the peloton, led Sky and Argos-Shimano, working hard to reel them in.

Heading into the final 10km, FDJ took Sky’s place, with the gap down to a thin 30 seconds, and with 3km left the escapees were swallowed up, with Bos making sure the work his team put in for him didn’t go to waste ahead of this afternoon's time trial.

Riders had been greeted on the start line by, if not warm sunshine, then conditions better than those still plaguing much of northern Europe.

The race has wandered around France throughout its history and has found itself on the volcanic island since 2010, primarily to help its bid to host the Tour de France.

With the Tour starting here in Porto-Vecchio in just 98 days time, this year’s Criterium – the 82nd – holds particular significance for teams, organisers ASO and the town itself.

Renovations on the town to spruce it up in time for the grand depart on 29 June continue apace and it seems somewhat odd that cycling’s showpiece race will begin its 100th edition in such a small, sleepy town.

One local Cyclingnews spoke to said that while locals welcomed the low key Criterium International he doubted whether many knew just how big the Tour is.

The race is being contested by many of the teams, and riders, who have designs on the yellow jersey in Paris. Sky (Chris Froome and Richie Porte), BMC (Cadel Evans and Tejay van Garderen) and Saxo-Tinkoff (Alberto Contador was due to ride, but pulled out with flu) are all here, as are the likes of Thomas Voeckler and Pierre Rolland.

Van Garderen said BMC had already checked out much of stage 3 of the Tour, 145km from Ajaccio to Calvi, finding what looks to be a serious days racing prior to the race’s departure for the mainland.

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