Tao Geoghegan Hart beats Hugh Carthy to victory on stage 1 of Tour of the Alps

The first stage of the Tour of the Alps was hotly contested, and after a lot of work INEOS Grenadiers brought the benefit. Tao Geogheghan Hart took the victory on the first summit finish.

The breakaway on the opening day of the race consisted of Sergio Samitier, Alex Martín, Andrea Garosio, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Moean Vermeulen and Mulu Kinfe Hailemichael. It was a decent group but not one that would be contesting for the stage win.

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Mostly with the work of INEOS Grenadiers, the last survivors were caught with 17 kilometers to go as the riders entered the hardest and most decisive climb of the day. There however attacks started to take place, with Jack Haig and Jefferson Cepeda escaping the group in the tougher slopes.

No-one else responded effectively, with a small group being led by INEOS trying to control the gap. Haig dropped Cepeda in the early slopes of the final ascent, with 25 seconds over the group. Cepeda really struggled being caught by the group few kilometers after but the Australian kept the lead in the final ascent before the gradients began to bite.

In the final kilometer the effort was too big for Haig, caught by the favourites group as Hugh Carthy launched an attack. The moved seemed to be decisive, but his compatriot Tao Geoghegan Hart flew over the final meters and managed to take the win over the EF Education rider. Hart is the first leader of the race, he beat Felix Gall as Carthy finished third.

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