Thomas Gachignard puts his signature on the first stage of the Tour du Limousin-Périgord-Nouvelle Aquitaine, which started today in Panazol and finished after 184 km in La Courtine. The 25-year-old French rider from Nort, of Team Total Energies, clearly outpaced his breakaway companion Ewen Costiou from Arkea B&B Hotels. Third place went to Alexandre Delettre, completing the triumph for Total. For Italy, a good fourth place by Andrea Vendrame and sixth by Stefano Oldani, both managing to finish in the top ten.

The day's breakaway was initiated by Guglielmi (Arkea B&B Hotels), Lospitao (Caja Rural Seguros RGA), Cobo (Equipo Kern Pharma), Chaussinand (CIC U Nantes), Riera Illes Baleares Arabay), Delacroix (Saint Michel Preference Home Auber93) and Molly (Van Rysel Roubaix). The action of the six leaders lasted until 32 km from the finish, after which Bouchard, Costiou, Moniquet, Delettre, Gachignard, Mifsud and Mariault moved to the front. The decisive attack came 6 km from the finish by Costiou and Gachignard, who reached the finish line to contest the stage victory and the first leader's jersey.

FINISH ORDER

1 GACHIGNARD Thomas Team TotalEnergies 1 04:31:23

2 COSTIOU Ewen ARKEA-B&B HOTELS + 00

3 DELETTRE Alexandre Team TotalEnergies + 10

4 VENDRAME Andrea Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team + 10

5 LAPEIRA Paul Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team + 13

6 OLDANI Stefano Cofidis + 13

7 PAGE Hugo Intermarchè-Wanty + 13

8 DARDER Sergi Caja Rural-Seguros RGA + 13

9 CAPRON Rémi Van Rysel-Roubaix + 13

10 BERASATEGI Xabier Euskaltel-Euskadi + 13