Both Dan Martin (Garmin Cannondale) and Nicolas Roche (Team Sky) had a solid start to the Tour of Catalonia today when they both finished the day in the top 10 on GC, albeit gaining just a few seconds on the main GC contenders.
The opening stage from Calella to Calella was 185 kilometres long and featured three categorised climbs. It was at the first intermediate sprint of the day at Mataro where the Irishmen gained the bonus seconds with Roche claiming second in the sprint behind his team mate Wout Poels, and Martin getting third.
A break then went clear in the second hour of racing, made up of three riders, Maciej Paterski (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Pierre Rolland (Team Europcar) and Bart de Clercq (Lotto Soudal). The breakaway were given too much freedom, and by the time the bunch started working to bring them back in, it was too late. Paterski took the stage win, whilst Rolland has emerged as a contender to win the race overall now.
Roche and Martin both finished the stage safely in the bunch 2’40” behind the stage winner. Paterski leads the race with Roche and Martin in 5th and 6th respectively. The race continues tomorrow with a 191km stage from Mataro to Olot with two categorised climbs en route.
