Alexander Porsev (Katusha) took his long-awaited first ever professional victory in the first stage of the 2013 Skoda Tour de Luxembourg, between Luxembourg and Hautcharage, as he won the bunch sprint. The 27-year-old Russian beat Milano-Sanremo winner Gerald Ciolek (MTN-Qhubeka) and Juan Jose Lobato (Euskaltel-Euskadi) into second and third places respectively, at the end of the 183.8km stage.
“I am very happy today!” Porsev exclaimed. “This is a special day for me! I waited this victory for a long time and finally, I have got it. Yesterday, after prologue, I had good feelings, and today our sports director Torsten Schmidt said, that the team will work for me and that I have a chance to do something good today.
“I thank all my teammates for the great help during the stage, especially, I want to thank Marco Haller, who helped me a lot in final kilometre to get the best position for the sprint,” Porsev added. “I thank all people, who believed in me, I thank my girlfriend, who supported me all this time. And, of course, I am very glad to bring this victory to my Katusha Team.”
The stage was characterised by a long break from South African time trial champion Jay Thomson (MTN-Qhubeka), who managed to get away on the second time of asking, with Duber Quintero (Colombia). The duo managed to get a lead of up to six minutes on the wet, rolling parcours before the peloton began to pull them back.
With the gap closing fast Thomson attacked Quintero and tried to go alone, but the South African struggled in the strengthening wind and was caught with 33km to go, just before the peloton began three 10.6km finishing circuits.
With Thomson caught the peloton stayed together until the finish, where Porsev was able to get the better of Ciolek. Prologue winner Jimmy Engoulvent (Sojasun) finished safely in the bunch and held on to his yellow jersey with the general classification unchanged.
Result stage 1
1. Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha Team
2. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka
3. Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
4. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) AG2R La Mondiale
5. Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling
6. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
7. Edwin Ávila (Col) Colombia
8. Rafael Andriato (Bra) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia
9. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent.jobs-Wanty
10. Moreno Hofland (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling
Standings after stage 1
1. Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Sojasun
2. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM @ 1s
3. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun
4. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent.jobs-Wanty @ 2s
5. Matthias Brändle (Aut) IAM Cycling @ 3s
6. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco Pro Cycling @ 4s
7. Damien Gaudin (Fra) Team Europcar @ 6s
8. Bob Jungels (Lux) RadioShack-Leopard @ 7s
9. Remi Cusin (Fra) IAM Cycling
10. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM