Robert Hunter (Garmin-Transitions) won the first stage of the Tour of Murcia in San Pedro del Pinatar in a bunch sprint, taking his first win for his new team. In second place was Graeme Brown (Rabobank) with Vicente Reynes (HTC-Columbia) in third.
The stage was dominated by a 130km break from Danny Pate (Garmin-Transitions), Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil), Ruben Reig (Caja Rural) and Alexandre Blain (Endura Racing). The foursome’s lead peaked at 4’25”, but they were reeled in slowly by the peloton led by Rabobank and the Cervélo TestTeam. With Hunter’s teammate Pate in the break, the Garmin-Transitions team were able to sit back and allow the other teams to work.
Inside the final 30km the gap between the leaders and the peloton fell to below a minute, and with 25km to go Westra suffered problems with his bike and was left behind by the others. On the flat run in to the end of the stage the sprinters’ teams pulled the three remaining breakaway riders in.
Cervélo’s sprinter Theo Bos, who won the Clasica de Almeria on Sunday, found himself dropped in the final 6km and his team pulled back to try and bring him back to the front.
The peloton approached the finish in one large bunch and the South African was the fastest, opening his account for 2010 and taking his first win for Garmin-Transitions.
Result stage 1
1. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions
2. Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank)
3. Vicente Reynes (Spa) HTC-Columbia
4. Roger Kluge (Ger) Milram
5. Daryl Impey (RSA) Team RadioShack
6. Krzystof Jezowsky (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
7. Michal Golas (Pol) Vacansoleil
8. Russell Downing (GBr) Team Sky
9. Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team NettAPP
10. Ian Wilkinson (GBr) Endura Racing
Standings after stage 1
1. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions
2. Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank)
3. Vicente Reynes (Spa) HTC-Columbia