Gaviria Wins Tour Of Guangxi Opener

19 October 2017 11:18
Fernando Gaviria of Quick-Step has won the opening stage of the Tour Of Guangxi in China.

The final World Tour race of the 2017 season started with a 107km Beihai Circuit stage and got underway at 12.52 local time with a strong field that included British riders Hugh Carthy of Cannondale Drapac, Alex Dowsett of Movistar and Team Sky duo Jonathan Dibben and Owain Douell as well as Irishman Nicholas Roche of BMC.

After nine kilometres, the first break formed which comprised of Grivko (Astana), Dillier (BMC), Dougall (Dimension Data) and Remy Cavagna of Quick Step.

They were only thirty seconds clear when Dillier took the first sprint and then fifty seconds ahead when Dillier was first over the Guantou Hill climb after forty kilometres.

The BMC rider added to his tally by taking the second sprint after 53.9kms and the third after 77kms but by now the gap was starting to fall so Dillier and Cavagna dropped the other two and pushed on.

Dillier decided that his work for the day was done leaving Remy Cavagna clear and the most aggressive rider of the day, had a lead of 55 seconds going into the final twenty kilometres after being first over the final KOM climb to put himself in the KOM jersey.

Lastra briefly joined Cavagna on the front but the pair were caught with four kilometres to go and Fernando Gaviria of Quick-Step took the win in a sprint in 2.20.01 ahead of Dylan Groenewegen of LottoNL-Jumbo and Bora-Hansgrohe's Pascal Ackermann.


Kev Monks for Digital Sports Group 
   



Source: DSG