Tour of Slovakia: Kristoff wins stage 1a

(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) took victory on the opening stage of the Tour of Slovakia, taking the race lead as he beat the Deceuninck-QuickStep duo of Michael Mørkøv and Elia Viviani in a bunch sprint.

Groupama-FDJ and Deceuninck-QuickStep controlled the stage, the first of two on Wednesday, for much of the day, ensuring that the early break wouldn't stay away to contest the finish.

The six-man break got away early on, with Rasmus Bøgh Wallin (Riwal Readynez), Alexandre Delletre (Delko Marseille Provence), Erik Fetter (Pannon Cycling Team), Florian Kierner (Felbermayr-Simplon), Kenny Molly (Wallonie-Bruxelles), and Anders Skaarseth (Uno-X) making up the day's main break.

The sextet were brought back 10km before the finish, setting up a sprint finish on the cobbled streets of Bardejov. Despite Deceuninck-QuickStep's strength in numberes and fearsome lead-out train, it was Kristoff who powered to victory, his seventh of the season.

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates	3:21:48
2	Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep
3	Elia Viviani (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep
4	Erik Baška (Slo) Bora-Hansgrohe
5	Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
6	Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel Cycling Academy
7	Emils Liepinš (Lat) Wallonie-Bruxelles
8	Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk	0:00:04
9	Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Roompot-Charles
10	Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep	0:00:08

General classification
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates	3:21:42
2	Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep	0:00:02
3	Elia Viviani (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep	0:00:04
4	Erik Baška (Slo) Bora-Hansgrohe	0:00:06
5	Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
6	Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel Cycling Academy
7	Emils Liepinš (Lat) Wallonie-Bruxelles
8	Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk	0:00:10
9	Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Roompot-Charles
10	Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep	0:00:14