A dramatic last ditch sprint from Quick-Step Innergetic rider Nick Nuyens was just enough to steal the ‘Yellow Jersey’ and the early lead in this years’ first stage of The Tour of Britain. Many of the favourites for the race lost time in the difficult conditions and some riders lost over twenty minutes.

With only 200 metres left Nuyens left the final pack of 18 riders, after the tough climb at Craignair to cross the finish line in 4hours 24’32 narrowly beating Danish rider Michael Blaudzun by two seconds. Nuyens also won the King of Mountain jersey in an afternoon’s riding which saw blistering sunshine turn into torrential rain as the teams pushed onto Castle Douglas.

However it wasn’t all bad for for the British contingent, Jeremy Hunt the Mr Bookmaker- Sports Tech rider finish third only three seconds off the lead. Perhaps the best ride of the day was that of DFL rider Yanto Barker, he finished only five seconds of the pace.

There was also success for the T-Mobile Team, German rider Eric Baumann won the ‘T-Mobile Sprinters Jersey’ with two sprint victories at Kirkconnell and at Clonsehead. Baumann’s team mates all enjoyed the days riding with three of the teams’ riders finishing inside the top 22 positions to put the T-Mobile Team into third place overall.

The 96 riders departed the sunshine of George Square with Scottish rider Duncan Urquhart leading the early attack through the roads on Glasgow. The Scottish riders’ early sprint was soon countered as the T-Mobile and Quick-Step Innergetic teams began to move away from the peloton.

The push proved to be vital in setting the tone for the race as the two teams jostled for position throughout the 114 mile stage. Despite Nuyens blistering sprint it was Mr Bookmaker- Sports Tech who stole first place in the Team classification as the team move down to the 900 year-old castle in Carlisle.

Tour of Britain 2005
Stage 1 Results
Glasgow – Castle Douglas, 30 August 2005

1 4 BEL19800505 Nuyens,Nick QST Quick Step-Innergetic 4h24’32”
2 22 DEN19730430 Blaudzun,Michael CSC Team CSC 4h24’34” @ 02″
3 53 GBR19740312 Hunt,Jeremy MRB Mr Bookmaker-Sports T 4h24’35” @ 03″
4 1 AUS19791220 Rogers,Michael QST Quick Step-Innergetic 4h24’36” @ 04″
5 113 BEL19750721 de Waele,Bert LAN Landbouwkrediet Colna 4h24’36” @ s/t
6 121 GBR19800106 Barker,Yanto DFL DFL Driving Force Log 4h24’36” @ s/t
7 55 BEL19700806 Thijs,Erwin MRB Mr Bookmaker-Sports T 4h24’37” @ 05″
8 12 NED19821104 Giling,Bastiaan TMO T-Mobile 4h24’37” @ s/t
9 91 ESP19801012 Cherro Molina,Javier ECV Comunidad Valenciana 4h24’37” @ s/t
10 73 POL19821202 Mazur,Peter NIC Navigators Insurance 4h24’37” @ s/t
11 45 BEL19780904 Veuchelen,Frederik JAC Chocolade Jacques T-I 4h24’38” @ 06″
12 24 DEN19840905 Sorensen,Chris CSC Team CSC 4h24’38” @ s/t
13 105 RSA19760223 George,David TBL Barloworld-Valsir 4h24’38” @ s/t
14 76 USA19790320 Zajicek,Phil NIC Navigators Insurance 4h24’39” @ 07″
15 51 AUS19781211 Day,Ben MRB Mr Bookmaker-Sports T 4h24’39” @ s/t
16 114 BEL19770209 Van De Walle,Jurgen LAN Landbouwkrediet Colna 4h24’39” @ s/t
17 101 GBR19810528 Southam,Tom TBL Barloworld-Valsir 4h24’39” @ s/t
18 15 GER19720127 Steinhauser,Tobias TMO T-Mobile 4h24’40” @ 08″
19 92 ESP19780328 Gomis Lopez,Juan ECV Comunidad Valenciana 4h24’40” @ s/t
20 42 BEL19821221 Keisse,Iljo JAC Chocolade Jacques T-I 4h25’42” @ 01’10”
21 146 JPN19730809 Mizutani,Takehiro BGT Bridgestone Anchor 4h25’42” @ s/t
22 11 GER19800321 Baumann,Eric TMO T-Mobile 4h25’44” @ 01’12”
23 95 ESP19820819 Olmo Menacho,Antonio ECV Comunidad Valenciana 4h25’45” @ 01’13”
24 82 GBR19830925 Coutts,Alex SCO Scotland 4h25’45” @ s/t
25 72 AUS19790711 Clarke,Troy Hilton NIC Navigators Insurance 4h25’46” @ 01’14”
26 2 ITA19680628 Bramati,Davide QST Quick Step-Innergetic 4h25’46” @ s/t
27 3 BEL19760710 Cretskens,Wilfried QST Quick Step-Innergetic 4h25’49” @ 01’17”
28 102 RSA19740523 Green,Alfred TBL Barloworld-Valsir 4h26’40” @ 02’08”
29 23 DEN19790213 Bruun Eriksen,Thomas CSC Team CSC 4h26’40” @ s/t
30 75 IRL19760508 Power,Ciarán NIC Navigators Insurance 4h26’41” @ 02’09”
31 71 ITA19770524 Camponogara,Siro NIC Navigators Insurance 4h26’41” @ s/t
32 106 AUS19780808 Sullivan,Sean TBL Barloworld-Valsir 4h26’45” @ 02’13”
33 64 GBR19830502 Page,Kieran GBR Great Britain 4h28’24” @ 03’52”
34 96 ESP19810804 Lloret Zaragozi,Manu ECV Comunidad Valenciana 4h28’38” @ 04’06”
35 85 GBR19820108 Oliphant,Evan SCO Scotland 4h47’00” @ 22’28”
36 83 GBR19810901 Hand,Gary SCO Scotland 4h47’00” @ s/t
37 5 ITA19770116 Paolini,Luca QST Quick Step-Innergetic 4h47’00” @ s/t
38 104 ITA19760311 Degano,Enrico TBL Barloworld-Valsir 4h47’00” @ s/t
39 6 ITA19840430 Santaromita,Ivan QST Quick Step-Innergetic 4h47’00” @ s/t
40 21 NOR19750209 Arvesen,Kurt-Asle CSC Team CSC 4h47’00” @ s/t
41 111 BEL19750509 De Groote,Thierry LAN Landbouwkrediet Colna 4h47’00” @ s/t
42 116 BEL19780826 Vanlandschoot,James LAN Landbouwkrediet Colna 4h47’00” @ s/t
43 33 GBR19730121 Hayles,Robert REC Recycling.co.uk/Lites 4h47’00” @ s/t
44 66 GBR19740130 Hammond,Roger GBR Great Britain 4h47’00” @ s/t
45 52 FRA19700720 Gabriel,Frederic MRB Mr Bookmaker-Sports T 4h47’00” @ s/t
46 56 BEL19781221 Vannoppen,Tom MRB Mr Bookmaker-Sports T 4h47’00” @ s/t
47 94 ESP19790609 Munoz Banon,David ECV Comunidad Valenciana 4h47’00” @ s/t
48 43 BEL19820307 Van der Linden,Wesle JAC Chocolade Jacques T-I 4h47’00” @ s/t
49 41 BEL19720911 Gilmore,Matthew JAC Chocolade Jacques T-I 4h47’00” @ s/t
50 44 BEL19810419 Van Impe,Kevin JAC Chocolade Jacques T-I 4h47’00” @ s/t
51 123 GBR19800216 Dixon,Phillip DFL DFL Driving Force Log 4h47’00” @ s/t
52 31 GBR19780823 Downing,Russel REC Recycling.co.uk/Lites 4h47’00” @ s/t
53 115 BEL19790605 Lebeau,Jean Claude LAN Landbouwkrediet Colna 4h47’00” @ s/t
54 35 GBR19730929 Newton,Chris REC Recycling.co.uk/Lites 4h47’00” @ s/t
55 16 GER19710311 Wesemann,Steffen TMO T-Mobile 4h47’00” @ s/t
56 25 DEN19690313 Michaelsen,Lars CSC Team CSC 4h47’00” @ s/t
57 14 NED19770423 Schmitz,Bram TMO T-Mobile 4h47’00” @ s/t
58 32 GBR19750124 Downing,Dean REC Recycling.co.uk/Lites 4h47’00” @ s/t
59 62 GBR19850521 Cavindish,Mark GBR Great Britain 4h47’00” @ s/t
60 145 JPN19820109 Sano,Junya BGT Bridgestone Anchor 4h47’00” @ s/t
61 13 RUS19750305 Ivanov,Serguei TMO T-Mobile 4h47’00” @ s/t
62 103 RSA19790409 Cox,Ryan TBL Barloworld-Valsir 4h47’00” @ s/t
63 153 GBR19731004 Norfolk,Jamie WAL Wales 4h47’00” @ s/t
64 65 GBR19860525 Thomas,Geraint GBR Great Britain 4h47’00” @ s/t
65 84 GBR19790427 McCallum,James SCO Scotland 4h47’00” @ s/t
66 36 GBR19791208 Sharman,Robin REC Recycling.co.uk/Lites 4h47’00” @ s/t
67 34 GBR19741106 Manning,Paul REC Recycling.co.uk/Lites 4h47’00” @ s/t
68 134 IRL19730317 McCann,David IRL Ireland 4h47’00” @ s/t
69 124 IRL19780603 Healion,Paul DFL DFL Driving Force Log 4h47’00” @ s/t
70 155 GBR19840616 Roach,Steven WAL Wales 4h47’00” @ s/t
71 136 IRL19840213 O’Brien,Paudi IRL Ireland 4h47’00” @ s/t
72 151 GBR19720923 Winn,Julian WAL Wales 4h47’00” @ s/t
73 122 GBR19840406 Connor,Ryan DFL DFL Driving Force Log 4h47’00” @ s/t
74 61 GBR19840921 White,Tom GBR Great Britain 4h47’00” @ s/t
75 154 GBR19850911 Partridge,Robert WAL Wales 4h47’00” @ s/t
76 133 IRL19730212 Griffin,Paul IRL Ireland 4h47’00” @ s/t
77 46 BEL19790908 Willems,Frederik JAC Chocolade Jacques T-I 4h47’00” @ s/t
78 126 GBR19820120 Hallam,Ben DFL DFL Driving Force Log 4h47’00” @ s/t
79 135 IRL19740718 Moriarty,Eugene IRL Ireland 4h47’00” @ s/t
80 131 IRL19810519 Aiken,Roger IRL Ireland 4h47’00” @ s/t
81 143 JPN19810217 Inoue,Kazuo BGT Bridgestone Anchor 4h47’00” @ s/t
82 156 GBR19850607 Brammeier,Matthew WAL Wales 4h47’00” @ s/t
83 152 GBR19861219 Appleby,Dale WAL Wales 4h47’00” @ s/t
84 81 GBR19730801 Urquhart,Duncan SCO Scotland 4h47’00” @ s/t
85 144 JPN19780227 Miyazawa,Takashi BGT Bridgestone Anchor 4h47’00” @ s/t
86 74 AUS19841218 Clarke,Jonathon NIC Navigators Insurance 4h47’00” @ s/t
87 125 GBR19740426 Ford,Martin DFL DFL Driving Force Log 4h47’00” @ s/t
88 132 IRL19730327 Evans,Thomas IRL Ireland 4h47’00” @ s/t
89 93 ESP19790427 Martinez Jimenez,Jos ECV Comunidad Valenciana 4h47’00” @ s/t
90 63 GBR19850312 Clancy,Edward GBR Great Britain 4h47’00” @ s/t
91 142 JPN19710913 Fukushima,Shinichi BGT Bridgestone Anchor 4h47’00” @ s/t
92 141 JPN19730821 Fukushima,Koji BGT Bridgestone Anchor 4h47’00” @ s/t
93 112 BEL19711215 Bracke,Tony LAN Landbouwkrediet Colna 4h49’04” @ 24’32”

Best British Rider on Stage
1. 53 Hunt,J MRB = 4h24’35”
2. 121 Barker,Y DFL @ 01″
3. 101 Southam,T TBL @ 04″
4. 82 Coutts,A SCO @ 01’10”
5. 64 Page,K GBR @ 03’49”
6. 85 Oliphant,E SCO @ 22’25”
7. 83 Hand,G SCO @ 22’25”
8. 33 Hayles,R REC @ 22’25”
9. 66 Hammond,R GBR @ 22’25”
10. 123 Dixon,P DFL @ 22’25”
11. 31 Downing,R REC @ 22’25”
12. 35 Newton,C REC @ 22’25”
13. 32 Downing,D REC @ 22’25”
14. 62 Cavindish,M GBR @ 22’25”
15. 153 Norfolk,J WAL @ 22’25”
16. 65 Thomas,G GBR @ 22’25”
17. 84 McCallum,J SCO @ 22’25”
18. 36 Sharman,R REC @ 22’25”
19. 34 Manning,P REC @ 22’25”
20. 155 Roach,S WAL @ 22’25”
21. 151 Winn,J WAL @ 22’25”
22. 122 Connor,R DFL @ 22’25”
23. 61 White,T GBR @ 22’25”
24. 154 Partridge,R WAL @ 22’25”
25. 126 Hallam,B DFL @ 22’25”
26. 156 Brammeier,M WAL @ 22’25”
27. 152 Appleby,D WAL @ 22’25”
28. 81 Urquhart,D SCO @ 22’25”
29. 125 Ford,M DFL @ 22’25”
30. 63 Clancy,E GBR @ 22’25”

General Classification (top ten)
1. 4 BEL19800505 Nuyens,Nick QST Quick Step-Inner 4h24’20”
2. 22 DEN19730430 Blaudzun,Michael CSC Team CSC 4h24’27” @ 07″
3. 53 GBR19740312 Hunt,Jeremy MRB Mr Bookmaker-Spo 4h24’31” @ 11″
4. 91 ESP19801012 Cherro Molina,Javier ECV Comunidad Valenc 4h24’32” @ 12″
5. 101 GBR19810528 Southam,Tom TBL Barloworld-Valsi 4h24’35” @ 15″
6. 1 AUS19791220 Rogers,Michael QST Quick Step-Inner 4h24’36” @ 16″
7. 113 BEL19750721 de Waele,Bert LAN Landbouwkrediet 4h24’36” = s/t
8. 121 GBR19800106 Barker,Yanto DFL DFL Driving Forc 4h24’36” = s/t
9. 55 BEL19700806 Thijs,Erwin MRB Mr Bookmaker-Spo 4h24’37” @ 17″
10. 12 NED19821104 Giling,Bastiaan TMO T-Mobile 4h24’37” = s/t

Points
1. 4 Nuyens,N QST 15
2. 22 Blaudzun,M CSC 14
3. 53 Hunt,J MRB 13
4. 1 Rogers,M QST 12
5. 113 de Waele,B LAN 11
6. 121 Barker,Y DFL 10
7. 55 Thijs,E MRB 9
8. 12 Giling,B TMO 8
9. 91 Cherro Molin ECV 7
10. 73 Mazur,P NIC 6

Mountains Competition
1. 4 Nuyens,N QST 4
1. 113 de Waele,B LAN 4
3. 22 Blaudzun,M CSC 3
3. 95 Olmo Menacho ECV 3
5. 51 Day,B MRB 2
5. 53 Hunt,J MRB 2
7. 15 Steinhauser, TMO 1
7. 72 Clarke,T NIC 1

Sprints Competition
1. 11 Baumann,E TMO 10
2. 91 Cherro Molin ECV 8
3. 101 Southam,T TBL 6
4. 4 Nuyens,N QST 5
5. 22 Blaudzun,M CSC 3
6. 42 Keisse,I JAC 1

Team General Classification
1. Mr Bookma 13h13’51”
2. Quick Ste @ 01’03”
3. T-Mobile @ 01’10”
4. Navigator @ 01’11”
5. Comunidad = s/t
6. Team CSC @ 02’01”
7. Barloworl @ 02’06”
8. Landbouwk @ 22’24”
9. Chocolade @ 23’29”
10. DFL Drivi @ 44’45”
11. Bridgesto @ 45’51”
12. Scotland @ 45’54”
13. Great Bri @ 48’33”
14. Recycling @ 1h07’09”
15. Wales = s/t
16. Ireland = s/t

For more on this year’s Tour of Britain