Bole wins stage 1 of the Critérium du Dauphiné on LOOK pedals.

Grega Bole (Lampre-Farnese Vini) won a chaotic sprint on stage 1 of the Critérium du Dauphiné on LOOK Pedals. Peter Velits (Team HTC – Columbia) came in second and Geraint Thomas (Sky Professional Cycling Team) came in third. Alberto Contador kept his lead in the overall despite a late attack from Janez Brajkovic (Team Radioshack).

Bole took advantage of a tricky finish into Saint-Laurent-du-Pont with most of the sprinters eliminated on the day’s final climb with 6 kilometers remaining.

“I had a long time off after a nasty crash at Paris-Nice I came to this race with good legs. On the last descent I was blocked by a crash that happened in front of me but I managed to get back to the peloton in the final kilometer. Two Team Sky riders launched the sprint and I took advantage," he said.


Stage 1: Evian-les-Bains - Saint-Laurent-du-Pont 191km
1    Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini    4:47:24     
2    Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC - Columbia          
3    Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team

General classfication after stage 1
1    Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana    4:55:58     
2    Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC - Columbia    0:00:02     
3    Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack    0:00:05