Lars Petter Nordhaug has won the first ever Tour de Yorkshire.
Team Sky's Lars Petter Nordhaug was the race leader going into a 167km stage from Wakefield to Roundhay Park in Leeds, which saw six climbs and two sprints.
Lawson Craddock (Giant-Alpecin), Sondre Holst Enger (IAM Cycling), Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (MTN – Qhubeka), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis, Solutions Credits), and Rasmus Christian Quaade (Cult Energy Pro Cycling) formed the break and got five minutes clear
Only Craddock and Edet were left going into the final fifty kilometres with a lead of 4.50 after the rest had been shed on the Cot de Goose Eye.
Josh Edmondson of the Great Britain team got away from the peloton and went after the two leaders who were 2.10 ahead going into the final thirty kilometres.
Onto the Cote de Chevin with a lead of 2.10, BMC were thinning down the main chase group which included the race leader who was protected by Team Sky team mate Phillip Deigan.
Craddock from Texas took the second sprint at Arthington ahead of Edet and the race leader before Steve Cummings of MTN Qhubeka attacked with Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL- Jumbo) and set chase for the front two who were fifty seconds ahead.
They caught Edet with 12.2kms left but two kilometres later, Ben Hermans of BMC made a move and was soon thirty seconds ahead of the peloton.
Hermans continued to pursue Craddock and with five kilometres to go, the BMC rider was breathing down Craddock's neck. Three hundred metres later and Hermans flew past Craddock and away he went.
Under the flam rouge with a twenty second lead and Ben Hermans continued to win in 4.27.22 with his team mate Greg Van Avermaet in second place some nine seconds back.
Julien SImon of Cofidis was third with Sammy Sanchez fourth, Huub Duijn of Team Roompot in fifth and Lars Petter Nordhaug in sixth which ensured that he was the inaugural winner of the Tour De Yorkshire.
"For me it wasn't so difficult but for my team-mates they were riding really hard," Nordhaug told ITV. "It was amazing how strong they were. We were in control all day and I felt very strong, I had confidence all the way and I did not hesitate at all. It was a fantastic day.
"It was a good start for the race and today it was just amazing. From start to finish there were huge crowds."
Source: DSG
