German Olaf Pollack (Wiesenhof) won the first stage of the Critérium International on Saturday.

Pollack took the 179km leg from Asfeld to Charleville after a violent storm pounded the racers in the final 15km, disrupting what proved to be a bunch sprint. The German easily outpaced Italian Angelo Furlan (Crédit Agricole) and Spaniard Mikel Gaztanaga (Agritubel), all of whom were given the same time as the winner.

Five riders escaped just 10km into the stage —France’s Romain Feillu (Agritubel), Spaniard Benat Albizuri (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Italians Tiziano Dall' Antonio (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare), Maurizio Bellin (Team LPR) and Gianpaolo Cheula (Barloworld) — and built up to nine minutes before being retrieved with 15km to go by an 80-man chase group that contained all the favorites for the overall win.

A sloppy, scary sprint

Photo: Graham Watson

Eager to avoid a sprint, Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital) had a dig 3km from the line. But the Italian was sucked back in shortly after the red 1km kite and the 33-year-old Pollack collected his first win of the season.

Results - Stage 1
Asfeld > Charleville-Mézières
1. Olaf Pollack (G), Team Wiesenhof, 179km in 4:15:42 (42.002kph)
2. Angelo Furlan (I), Crédit Agricole, same time
3. Mikel Gaztanaga (Sp), Agritubel, s.t.
4. Peter Wrolich (A), Gerolsteiner, s.t.
5. Chavanel Sébastien (F), Française des Jeux, s.t.
6. Matteo Priamo (I), Ceramica Panaria-Navigare, s.t.
7. Fabrizio Guidi (I), Barloworld, s.t.
8. Claudio Corioni (I), Lampre, s.t.
9. Laurent Brochard (F), Bouygues Telecom, s.t.
10. Vicente Reynes (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne, s.t.
Overall
1. Olaf Pollack (G), Team Wiesenhof
2. Angelo Furlan (I), Crédit Agricole, at 0:04
3. Mikel Gaztanaga (Sp), Agritubel, at 0:06
4. Peter Wrolich (A), Gerolsteiner, at 0:10
5. Chavanel Sébastien (F), Française des Jeux, s.t.
6. Matteo Priamo (I), Ceramica Panaria - Navigare, s.t.
7. Fabrizio Guidi (I), Barloworld, s.t.
8. Claudio Corioni (I), Lampre, s.t.
9. Laurent Brochard (F), Bouygues Telecom, s.t.
10. Vicente Reynes (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne, s.t.
Points
1. Olaf Pollack (G), Team Wiesenhof, 15pts
2. Angelo Furlan (I), Crédit Agricole, 12pts
3. Mikel Gaztanaga (Sp), Agritubel, 10pts
4. Peter Wrolich (A), Gerolsteiner, 8pts
5. Chavanel Sébastien (F), Francaise des Jeux, 7pts
6. Romain Feillu (F), Agritubel, 6pts
7. Matteo Priamo (I), Ceramica Panaria-Navigare, 6pts
8. Fabrizio Guidi (I), Barloworld, 5pts
9. Tiziano Dall’antonia (I), Ceramica Panaria-Navigare, 4pts
10. Claudio Corioni (I), Lampre, 4pts.

KOM
1. Benjamin Johnson (Aus), Slipstream-Chipotle, 4pts
2. Tiziano Dall’antonia (I), Ceramica Panaria-Navigare, 4pts
3. Bobby Julich (USA), CSC, 2pts
4. Gianpaolo Cheula (I), Barloworld, 2pts
5. Freddy Bichot (F), Agritubel, 1pts
6. Benat Albizuri (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 1pts