Yauheni Hutarovich (La Française des Jeux) led home a group of sixteen riders to take a victory in stage 1 of the Tour of the Mediterranean, as he did last year. The Belarusian champion beat Frenchman William Bonnet (Bbox Bouyges Telecom) and Kazakh Maxim Iglinsky (Astana) into second and third over the 95km between the mediaeval city of Carcassonne and Sauviac, to the south of Montpelier.
Freezing temperatures, icy crosswinds and a category three climb just 8km from the finish caused a number of splits in the peloton. The next large group finished almost 2 minutes back. A number of race favourites finished in the front group, including Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne), Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil) and Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana).
Hutarovich, who finished the stage in shorts and bare arms despite sub-zero temperatures, took the race’s first leader’s jersey, as he did last year, by virtue of time bonuses at the finish.
The race now moves from the Aude/Herault area to Provence. Tomorrow's stage will be almost twice as long as today, with the peloton taking in a 170 km route around Aix-en-Provence from Peynier to Trets.
Results stage 1:
1. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) La Française des Jeux
2. William Bonnet (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
3. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana
4. Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R-La Mondiale
5. Anthony Ravard (Fra) AG2R-La Mondiale
6. Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne
7. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
8. Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller
9. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil
10. Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
Standings after stage 1
1. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) La Française des Jeux
2. William Bonnet (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
3. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana