Stage 1: Tour of Britain

New Zealander Corbin Strong wins stage 1 of the Tour of Britain in Scotland after a breakaway was caught only 2km from the summit finish

Stage 1: Tour of Britain

CORBIN STRONG WINS AJ BELL TOUR OF BRITAIN OPENING STAGE
event press release

Israel – Premier Tech’s Corbin Strong claimed the biggest road victory of his career to date on Sunday as he claimed the opening stage of the AJ Bell Tour of Britain atop Glenshee Ski Centre in Aberdeenshire.

The Kiwi timed his sprint to perfection to pip Omar Fraile (INEOS Grenadiers) to the win at the end of a stage raced out during inclement weather throughout. This victory is Corbin’s second notable victory in Great Britain in the past month: he also won the scratch race at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Speaking afterwards Strong, who becomes the first rider to don the red AJ Bell leader’s jersey, said; “I’ve been wanting to win at this level on the road for a long time and I always believed I could but it hasn’t been smooth sailing, so to get that win is a massive relief. Really just to prove to myself and prove to my team that I can race at this level.

“I always really enjoy racing in the rain actually. I come from Invercargill in New Zealand, right down the bottom and it’s very similar to Scotland actually – it felt like home racing in conditions like this, and really suited me well. The break looked like they could have gone all the way but then the team, and Alex Dowsett in particular, did an awesome job in the closing few kilometres.”

“This is the first time I’ve come into a race at this level with confidence that I can perform and take a win so there was a couple of moments in the last then or so kilometres that I got a wee bit too excited and yeah guys like Mike [Woods] and Dylan [Teuns] just calmed me down a little bit which was nice. Then it just opened up at the finish and I was following Dylan through and I got on INEOS and was able to open up a good sprint.”

THE BREAKAWAY

A five-rider break had spent much of the day away as wet and stormy conditions swept the route right from the start in Aberdeen city centre out into the Aberdeenshire countryside. Uno-X Pro Cycling rider Martin Urianstad was joined by duos from both Wiv SunGod (Jacob Scott and Matt Teggart) and Human Powered Health (Matt Gibson and Stephen Bassett) for a quintet that built a lead that went out as far as five minutes.

Bassett and Teggart took the ŠKODA King of the Mountains jersey and Sportsbreaks.com Sprints jerseys respectively, while Gibson’s reward was a trip to the podium for the Adyen Combativity Award.

The group made it until the higher slopes of the climb up to the Glenshee Ski Centre as Israel – Premier Tech and then INEOS Grenadiers drove the peloton. TRINITY Racing’s Thomas Gloag was the first to jump, catching the break and briefly threatening to go away before the bunch reeled everyone in with 1.6 kilometres to go. Richie Porte (INEOS Grenadiers) did the lions share of the work on the front, but as the slow uphill sprint unfolded it was the team of Israel – Premier Tech that came out on top.

Strong now holds a four-second lead over Fraile in the general classification, with third-placed stage finisher Anders Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Pro Cycling) a further two seconds in arrears. Fifth-placed Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers) is the highest placed British rider.

Highlights of the opening stage are on ITV4 at 20:00 on Sunday 4 September and available on demand for 30 days via the ITV Hub.

The AJ Bell Tour of Britain continues in Scotland with stage two on Monday 5 September in the Scottish Borders. Day two of action takes the race from Hawick to Duns on a 175.2-kilometre (108.9-mile) route via Jedburgh, Kelso, Coldstream and Eyemouth. Live coverage of the stage begins on ITV4 at 10:45.

STAGE RESULT
1 STRONG Corbin IPT NZL B:10″
2 FRAILE MATARRANZ Omar IGD ESP B:06″
3 JOHANNESSEN Anders Halland UXT NOR B:04″
4 SERRANO RODRIGUEZ Gonzalo MOV ESP
5 *PIDCOCK Thomas IGD GBR
6 TEUNS Dylan IPT BEL
7 FIORELLI Filippo BCF ITA
8 *ONLEY Oscar DSM GBR
9 CHARMIG Anthon UXT DEN
10 ZANA Filippo BCF ITA
11 *STEWART Jake GBR GBR
12 PAASSCHENS Mathijs BWB NED
13 *TOWNSEND Rory RDW GBR
14 GROSSSCHARTNER Felix BOH AUT
15 SUNDERLAND Dylan GLC AUS
16 IACCHI Alessandro T4Q ITA
17 MOLLY Kenny BWB BEL
18 VAN ROOY Kenneth SVB BEL
19 *REES Oliver TRI GBR
20 SKAARSETH Anders UXT NOR
21 JORGENSON Matteo MOV USA
22 HAMILTON Christopher DSM AUS
23 *SWIFT Connor GBR GBR
24 RODRIGUEZ GARAICOECHEA Oscar MOV ESP
25 PRADES Eduard CJR ESP
26 WOODS Michael IPT CAN
27 *GLOAG Thomas TRI GBR
28 NICOLAU BELTRAN Joel CJR ESP
29 BATTAGLIN Enrico BCF ITA
30 ELOSEGUI MOMEÑE Iñigo MOV ESP
31 MARTIN GALAN Sergio Roman CJR ESP
32 *HOLLYMAN Mason IPT GBR
33 GABBURO Davide BCF ITA
34 MERTENS Julian SVB BEL
35 AASVOLD Kristian HPM NOR
36 VAN POUCKE Aaron SVB BEL
37 ANIOLKOWSKI Stanislaw BWB POL
38 JOHNSTON Liam TRI AUS
39 SHEFFIELD Magnus IGD USA
40 PERRY Benjamin RDW CAN
41 POLITT Nils BOH GER
42 MANNION Gavin HPM USA
43 *POOLE Max DSM GBR
44 BARRENETXEA Jon CJR ESP
45 *JOHNSTON Calum CJR GBR
46 DE VYLDER Lindsay SVB BEL
47 PEYSKENS Dimitri BWB BEL
48 MEENS Johan BWB BEL
49 PARISINI Nicolo’ T4Q ITA
50 DESAL Ceriel BWB BEL
51 *KYFFIN Zeb RWC GBR +09″
52 *CULVERWELL Sam TRI GBR
53 GONZÁLEZ RIVERA Abner MOV PUR +11″
54 *WATSON Sam GBR GBR
55 MODOLO Sacha BCF ITA
56 ROSSKOPF Joseph HPM USA +13″
57 BARCELO Fernando CJR ESP
58 ABREHA Negasi Haylu T4Q ETH +15″
59 ARAYA Nahom T4Q ERI
60 *SCOTT Robert RDW GBR
61 SAYERS Cooper SPC AUS
62 *CROCKETT Finn RWC GBR +19″
63 PORTE Richie IGD AUS +23″
64 JENSEN August HPM NOR
65 MITRI James GLC NZL
66 MARCELLUSI Martin BCF ITA +41″
67 *SCOTT Jacob RDW GBR B:04″ +42″
68 LAMPERTI Luke TRI USA
69 STEDMAN Travis T4Q RSA +52″
70 URIANSTAD Martin Bugge UXT NOR +54″
71 SCHUNK Conor GLC USA +1’02”
72 VANHOOF Ward SVB BEL +1’04”
73 MEEUS Jordi BOH BEL
74 *RICHARDSON Alexandar SPC GBR +1’08”
75 SESSLER Nicolas GLC BRA +1’21”
76 *LAMB Ross RWC GBR
77 MAYRHOFER Marius DSM GER +2’13”
78 LARSEN Niklas UXT DEN +2’26”
79 HEINSCHKE Leon DSM GER
80 *BROWN Jim RDW GBR +2’35”
81 *BIRCHILL Harry SPC GBR
82 *MAZZONE Leon SPC GBR
83 ERVITI Imanol MOV ESP +2’47”
84 *TANFIELD Harry RWC GBR +2’53”
85 *DONALDSON Robert GBR GBR
86 *ROOTKIN-GRAY Jack SPC GBR
87 *NERURKAR Lukas TRI GBR +2’55”
88 KWIATKOWSKI Michal IGD POL
89 PÖSTLBERGER Lukas BOH AUT +3’05”
90 BASSETT Stephen HPM USA +3’19”
91 WALTERS Red RWC GRN +3’24”
92 *TANFIELD Charlie RWC GBR +3’28”
93 HOLLENSTEIN Reto IPT SUI
94 PELTONEN Ukko GLC FIN
95 WATTS Kiaan GLC NZL
96 COATI Luca T4Q ITA
97 TILLER Rasmus UXT NOR
98 AMADOR Andrey IGD CRC
99 *LEWIS Adam SPC GBR
100 *GIDDINGS Joshua GBR GBR
101 BOL Cees DSM NED +3’34”
102 ARCHBOLD Shane BOH NZL
103 *CHARLTON Josh GBR GBR +3’48”
104 *GIBSON Matthew HPM GBR B:05″ +3’53”
105 TEGGART Matthew RDW IRL B:09″ +4’41”
106 *DOWSETT Alex IPT GBR
107 BONNEU Kamiel SVB +6’01”

…. continued after the advert.

SPRINTS CLASSIFICATION

Inverurie – km 27.5
1. TEGGART Matthew IRL RDW 3
2. GIBSON Matthew GBR HPM 2
3. SCOTT Jacob GBR RDW 1

Alford – km 91.6
1. TEGGART Matthew IRL RDW 3
2. SCOTT Jacob GBR RDW 2
3. GIBSON Matthew GBR HPM 1

Ballater – km 139.7
1. TEGGART Matthew IRL RDW 3
2. GIBSON Matthew GBR HPM 2
3. SCOTT Jacob GBR RDW 1

Overall
1 TEGGART Matthew IRL RDW 9
2 GIBSON Matthew GBR HPM 5
3 SCOTT Jacob GBR RDW 4

King of the Mountains

Bennachie Forest – km 42.7
1 BASSETT Stephen USA HPM 4
2 SCOTT Jacob GBR RDW 3
3 TEGGART Matthew IRL RDW 2
4 GIBSON Matthew GBR HPM 1

Lord’s Throat – km 55
1 BASSETT Stephen USA HPM 4
2 GIBSON Matthew GBR HPM 3
3 TEGGART Matthew IRL RDW 2
4 SCOTT Jacob GBR RDW 1

Suie Hill – km 82.9
1 BASSETT Stephen USA HPM 6
2 SCOTT Jacob GBR RDW 5
3 TEGGART Matthew IRL RDW 4
4 GIBSON Matthew GBR HPM 3
5 URIANSTAD Martin Bugge NOR UXT 2
6 AMADOR Andrey CRC IGD 1

Glenshee Ski Centre – km 181.3
1 STRONG Corbin NZL IPT 10
2 FRAILE MATARRANZ Omar ESP IGD 9
3 JOHANNESSEN Anders Halland NOR UXT 8
4 SERRANO RODRIGUEZ Gonzalo ESP MOV 7
5 PIDCOCK Thomas GBR IGD 6
6 TEUNS Dylan BEL IPT 5
7 FIORELLI Filippo ITA BCF 4
8 ONLEY Oscar GBR DSM 3
9 CHARMIG Anthon DEN UXT 2
10 ZANA Filippo ITA BCF 1

Overall
1 BASSETT Stephen USA HPM 14
2 STRONG Corbin NZL IPT 10
3 FRAILE MATARRANZ Omar ESP IGD 9
4 SCOTT Jacob GBR RDW 9
5 JOHANNESSEN Anders Halland NOR UXT 8
6 TEGGART Matthew IRL RDW 8
7 SERRANO RODRIGUEZ Gonzalo ESP MOV 7
8 GIBSON Matthew GBR HPM 7
9 PIDCOCK Thomas GBR IGD 6
10 TEUNS Dylan BEL IPT 5
11 FIORELLI Filippo ITA BCF 4
12 ONLEY Oscar GBR DSM 3
13 CHARMIG Anthon DEN UXT 2
14 URIANSTAD Martin Bugge NOR UXT 2
15 ZANA Filippo ITA BCF 1
16 AMADOR Andrey CRC IGD 1

BEST OF BRITISH
1 PIDCOCK Thomas IGD GBR +00
2 ONLEY Oscar DSM GBR
3 STEWART Jake GBR GBR
4 TOWNSEND Rory RDW GBR
5 REES Oliver TRI GBR
6 SWIFT Connor GBR GBR
7 GLOAG Thomas TRI GBR
8 HOLLYMAN Mason IPT GBR
9 POOLE Max DSM GBR
10 JOHNSTON Calum CJR GBR
11 KYFFIN Zeb RWC GBR +09″
12 CULVERWELL Sam TRI GBR
13 WATSON Sam GBR GBR +11″
14 SCOTT Robert RDW GBR +15″
15 CROCKETT Finn RWC GBR +19″
16 SCOTT Jacob RDW GBR B:04″ +42″
17 RICHARDSON Alexandar SPC GBR +1’08”
18 LAMB Ross RWC GBR +1’21”
19 BROWN Jim RDW GBR +2’35”
20 BIRCHILL Harry SPC GBR
21 MAZZONE Leon SPC GBR
22 TANFIELD Harry RWC GBR +2’53”
23 DONALDSON Robert GBR GBR
24 ROOTKIN-GRAY Jack SPC GBR
25 NERURKAR Lukas TRI GBR +2’55”
26 TANFIELD Charlie RWC GBR +3’28”
27 LEWIS Adam SPC GBR
28 GIDDINGS Joshua GBR GBR
29 CHARLTON Josh GBR GBR +3’48”
30 GIBSON Matthew HPM GBR B:05″ +3’53”
31 DOWSETT Alex IPT GBR +4’41”