Dan Martin has passed the first test of the 2021 season, making the front group on the summit finish of stage 1 at Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var (2.1) in France.
The Irishman, riding his second season with Israel Start-Up Nation, finished in a group of favourites just three seconds behind stage winner, and first race leader, Bauke Mollema (Trek Segafredo).
Mollema claimed victory on the summit finish atop the 14km cat 2 Col de Gourdon, which was tackled three times during the 187km stage.
The Dutchman finished two seconds ahead of Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R Citroën) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) in the sprint for the line. Mollema went early in the sprint after the main breakaway was caught in time for what remained of the peloton to start the final climb intact.
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#Tour0683: Victoria de Mollema (TFS) en la meta de Gourdon.
🚴♂️ Una treintena de ciclistas llegó con el mismo tiempo a la cima, con @rogeradria_ en 17ª posición. @Urkich llegó con unos 25” perdidos.
💪🏻 Buen desempeño de los nuestros en un pelotón de altísimo nivel! pic.twitter.com/DOrP3Isq8V— Equipo Kern Pharma (@EqKernPharma) February 19, 2021
Dan Martin's new team mate Michael Woods finished in 4th place, three seconds behind the winner and at the head of a 25-rider group, behind which much bigger gaps appeared.
Martin, the only Irish rider in the three day race, placed 16th on the stage and remains very much in the hunt overall, along with Woods, with two stages remaining.
As well as Martin and Woods in the 25-rider group just three seconds behind Mollema today were: Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), Jesús Herrada (Cofidis), Thibaut Pinot and David Gaudu (both Groupama-FDJ), Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Nairo Quintana (Arkéa Samsic), Geraint Thomas and Pavel Sivakov (both Ineos Grenadiers), among others.
The three-day event is Martin's first race since he finish 4th overall in La Vuelta last November. Today's stage was not televised, though coverage is planned for tomorrow and Sunday, both of which feature plenty of climbs.
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