Greipel takes opening stage of the Tour of Britain in Castle Douglas
Re-launched in 2004 after a five year absence from the calendar, the Tour of Britain is British Cycling’s premier road cycling event giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world’s best teams and riders competing on their doorstep. The Tour of Britain is the UK’s highest ranked professional stage race and the country’s largest free-to-watch sporting event.
Ranked at the 2.HC level by the UCI, the Tour of Britain attracts the world’s top cyclists, including Olympic and World Champions and Tour de France stage winners, to compete on British roads each September,
Stage One 2016 Glasgow – Castle Douglas
Andre Greipel sprinted to the opening stage victory in Scotland, to grab the Yellow Jersey presented by Eisberg, heading Caleb Ewan and Ramon Sinkeldam on the 600-metre drag to the line in the town of Castle Douglas.
The Lotto Soudal team set up the German national champion perfect, leading Greipel safely through the final corner at the head of the peloton, with Jens Debusschere providing the perfect leadout at the end of the 161-kilometre stage from Glasgow.
Interview – Andre Greipel Stage 1 winner Tour of Britain 2016 by Cycling Shorts
Andre Greipel chats to the collected media at his post stage win press conference. All Images & Content ©CyclingShorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk
It is really nice to start off this tour with a victory. We have reached our goal already from the first day. Everything else is a bonus.
Greipel is now celebrating his fifth Tour of Britain stage win having also won stages in the 2010 and 2015 editions of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race.
Greipel avoided a final crash further back in the peloton on the final corner, removing the likes of Mark Cavendish, Elia Viviani and Dylan Groenewegen from contention.
The stage win and time bonus gives Greipel a 1-second lead over Jasper Bovenhuis, who picked up the time bonuses at all three of the day’s intermediate Yodel Sprints from a breakaway to sit second overall, with Ewan third.
The An Post Chain Reaction rider took the Yodel Sprints jersey from a five-rider breakaway that former early on while the race lapped Glasgow in front of packed crowds throughout the city centre.
Alongside teammate Emiel Wastyn, ONE Pro Cycling’s Peter Williams, NFTO’s Johnny McEvoy and JLT Condor’s Tom Moses the quintet spent the majority of Stage One out front, but a watchful peloton never let them gain more than 4-minutes.
With the Stage One victory Greipel also takes the Chain Reaction Cycles Points Jersey while Williams is the SKODA King of the Mountains jersey and Adnams Best British Rider overall.
Highlights of Stage One will be on ITV4 at 8pm with a repeat at 12-noon on Monday 5 September.
The Tour of Britain resumes with Stage Two on Monday 5 September from Carlisle to Kendal, through the heart of the Lake District including the Category One climb of The Struggle with 30-kilometres to go. The stage finishes in Kendal atop the 700-metre climb of Beast Banks, as used in the 2013 Tour of Britain when Gerald Ciolek took the victory.
