De Bie prevails in Grosseto

Sean De Bie (Belgium) narrowly won the opening stage of the Toscana-Terra di ciclismo, edging Algeria's Youcef Reguigui (UCI Mixed Team) in a 39-rider field sprint in Grosseto. So close were the two riders that both put their arms up thinking each had won, but the photo finish camera showed the Belgian prevailed.

Alexey Lutsenko (Kazakhstan) crossed the line in third place to round out the stage one podium.

With the stage victory De Bie earned the first leader's jersey of the five-day Italian stage race for espoir riders. As with the stage results, Reguigui and Lutsenko hold second and third respectively on general classification in the same time as De Bie.

A 12-rider breakaway, comprised of Miras Bederbekov (Kazakhstan), Janni Tewelde (Eritrea), Niek Van Geffen (Netherlands), Mark Dzamastagic (Slovenia), Jordi Simon Casulleras (Spain), Yannick Mayer (Germany), Eliot Lietaer (Belgium), Patrick Schelling (Switzerland), Roman Dronin (UCI Mixed Team), Dariusz Gluszak (Poland), Sonny Colbrelli (Italy) and Loic Aubert (Switzerland), formed approximately mid-way through the 148km stage and reached a maximum advantage of 2:40 over the peloton.

The escapees' bid for victory was neutralised, however, with eight kilometres remaining by a reduced peloton which stayed together through to the finish where De Bie proved the swiftest in the finale.