Porsev prevails in Hautcharage

Alexander Porsev won the first stage at the Tour de Luxembourg. The Katusha rider beat MTN-Qhubeka's Gerald Ciolek and Juan Jose Lobato of Euskaltel-Euskadi in a sprint in Hautcharage. Prologue winner Jimmy Engoulvent (Sojasun) keeps the yellow leader's jersey.

The race started off fast and the first rider to attack was MTN-Qhubeka's Jay Thomson, but to no avail. After 20 kilometres and after several attempts to break away, Thomson tried again and this time he found the Colombia's Duber Quintero on his wheel. The two gained a maximum lead of six minutes in the 183.8 kilometre long stage, the longest at the Tour of Luxembourg.

Belgian rider Staf Scheirlinkx (Accent Jobs-Wanty) launched a counterattack but failed to bridge to the two leaders. "I was stuck in the peloton when the two riders went. I just started my attack too late. On your own against this wind, was just too much," he said.

The first stage started in Luxembourg in sunny conditions but halfway into the stage the weather changed. Temperatures plummeted to 13 degrees and the wind picked up. It was too much for Quintero, who dropped back to the peloton. South African champion Thomson continued but was caught 30 kilometres from the line.

The last kilometre was a battle against the wind and pouring rain on rolling terrain. It was 27-year-old Alexander Porsev who crossed the line just before Milan-Sanremo winner Gerald Ciolek and Juan Jose Lobato.

"We discussed this morning that the team would be working for me," Porsev told Cyclingnews. "And they did very well in the last kilometre. It feels good to beat Gerald Ciolek because he is a very strong rider."

Katusha took several fast men to Luxembourg with Rüdiger Selig, Alexey Tsatevich and Marco Haller. "Our DS Torsten Schmidt said today would be for me. We haven't discussed yet what tomorrow's game plan will be but the terrain will be hillier than today," Porsev said.

Danny van Poppel held on to the white jersey. The Vacansoleil-DCM youngster sprinted to a sixth place today. "The team worked well for me all day in this horrible weather," he told Cyclingnews. "Björn Leukemans did my lead-out but I had to start my sprint with 300 metres to go which was too early. At 200 metres I was already too tired but that is okay when you are a young rider like me. I will get another chance tomorrow," he said.

Friday's stage runs from Schifflange to Walferdange over 173.1 kilometres with six categorised climbs along the parcours.