The Tour of Britain opened with a winning move by Lewis Askey.  The NSN rider chose the right moment, attacked 700 metres from the finish line, and gained the necessary margin to beat Filippo Ganna, Tim Wellens and his breakaway companions with whom he had animated the final part of the opening stage of the race held -  with start and finish  in Lincoln -  over a distance of 182 kilometres. Among the best performers of the day was also Matteo Trentin: the experienced Tudor rider attempted to attack several times in the final, eventually finishing in sixth position. 

RACE REPORT. The stage came alive when, after neutralizing the first breakaway of the day, eleven athletes gained an advantage from the main group: Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling Team), Filippo Ganna (Netcompany INEOS), Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates – XRG), Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates – XRG),  Daan Hoole (Decathlon CMA CGM Team), Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step), Lewis Askey (NSN Cycling Team), Rick Pluimers (Tudor Pro Cycling Team), Paul Wright (Modern Adventure), Kim Heiduk (Netcompany INEOS)   and Elliot Rowe (Great Britain National Team).

Exploiting their excellent time-trialling abilities and sharing the workload, these men built up a significant advantage over a first chase group composed, among others, of Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) and Ben Wiggins (Great Britain National Team). The main peloton was further back.

When the bell sounded marking the start of the final of four laps of the city circuit, the breakaway's advantage was well over a minute. Trentin and Ganna attempted to increase the pace to further select the leading group. The battle intensified in the final 4 kilometres: continuous attacks led to a thrilling finale and Askey's victory, which marks his third career win and earns him the leader's jersey with which he will start tomorrow's second stage that will take the group from Boston to Skegness for a total of 181 kilometres.

FINISHING ORDER

1 Askey Lewis NSN Cycling Team 04:02:44

2 Ganna Filippo Netcompany INEOS 00:02

3 Wellens Tim UAE Team Emirates - XRG ,,

4 Stuyven Jasper Soudal Quick-Step 00:09

5 Hoole Daan Decathlon CMA CGM Team ,,

6 Trentin Matteo Tudor Pro Cycling Team ,,

7 Vermeersch Florian UAE Team Emirates - XRG 00:11

8 Rowe Elliot Great Britain 00:19

9 Pluimers Rick Tudor Pro Cycling Team ,,

10 Wright Paul Modern Adventure Pro Cycling 00:26