Tour of California 2014 - Stage 1

The 2014 Amgen Tour of California got underway earlier this week with a 198 kilometre race around the city of Sacramento. The field for this year's Tour is a stellar one, with big name sprinters Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan and John Degenkolb gracing the race, along with a Tour de France Champion - Sir Bradley Wiggins. Names such as Tom Boonen and Taylor Phinney also appear on the start list.

The first stage was billed as a sprint finish, but some of the minor teams in the race were determined to get their name out on the television cameras, courtesy of a breakaway. Tom Leezer of Belkin was joined in the move by Isaac Bolivar of UnitedHealthcare, Charles Planet (Novo Nordisk), Will Routley (Optum), Matt Cooke of Jamis-Hagens Berman and Tao Hart of the Bissell Development Team.

The break were never going to be allowed to contest the stage win, and work from several teams ensured they were brought back in plenty of time. The real drama started once they were back in the peloton. In the crosswinds, a group of 22 riders went clear, including many big names such as Wiggins, Boonen and Taylor Phinney.

It didn't stay away, Cannondale controlled the race well in an attempt to set the race up for their man Peter Sagan. More attacks went clear in the last ten kilometres, including one from Jelly Belly's Jacob Rathe, but the peloton was well set for a sprint finish. It was a three way battle between Giant-Shimano, Omega Pharma-Quickstep and Cannondale, but Sagan's team left it too late.

Cavendish and Degenkolb sprinted parallel for the line, and even when the two men crossed it they were unclear as to who had won. Once the race organisers had consulted the photo finish it was revealed Cavendish had won by mere millimetres. Moreno Hofland of Belkin sprinted well to beat Sagan for third, but it was Cavendish who would lead the race after stage one.