Tour de San Luis 2014 - Stage 1

The major cycling season has finally started for 2014, with the first stage of the Tour de San Luis. The Argentinian race has grown in prestige over the past couple of years, thanks to high-profile winners such as Vincenzo Nibali and Levi Leipheimer; and subsequently, the race has a strong field once again this year. 

Mark Cavendish of Omega Pharma-Quickstep has returned this year, and looked like a favourite to once again win the opening stage of the race, which was 166.2 kilometres from San Luis to Villa Mercedes. However, early on in the stage, Cavendish's hopes were dealt a blow when his veteran lead out man Alessandro Petacchi had to retire from the race due to an intestinal illness.

However, Cavendish wouldn't get the chance to sprint for the victory, as the breakaway that escaped after just a few kilometres of racing would not be seen by the peloton again until the finish line. The breakaway included riders from Garmin-Sharp, Orica-GreenEDGE and UnitedHealthcare. 

It was Phillip Gaimon of Garmin-Sharp who won the stage in the end, winning alone ahead of the rest of his breakaway companions. Behind him were Emiliano Contreras of Argentina, and UnitedHealthcare's Marc De Maar. Sacha Modolo led the peloton over the line, sprinting for eighth place. 

It was not only the first race of Gaimon's season, but also his first race in Garmin-Sharp colours, which will no doubt repay the faith put in him by team boss Jonathan Vaughters after he signed him from Continental team Bissell Pro Cycling. Gaimon also took the race lead, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to keep it past stage two, where Contador, Rodriguez, Nibali et al. could come to the fore in a summit finish.

But for now, Gaimon gets his day in the sun (quite literally, it touched 40 degrees today in Argentina), and no doubt Garmin-Sharp will work hard to defend the jersey for their man. Tomorrow the race journeys from La Punta to the Mirador de Potrero de los Funes, a journey of 170.6 kilometres.