Teenager Brennan claims Tour of Catalonia first stage
Matthew Brennan sprinted to victory in the first stage of the Tour of Catalonia in pouring rain on Monday, pipping Tibor del Grosso as the 104th edition of the race began.
British Visma rider Brennan, 19, overhauled the Dutchman in a spectacular finish to the first stage, which ran 178.3 kilometres, starting and ending in Sant Feliu de Guixols.
Brennan, who celebrated his first professional victory last week at the GP de Denain with another sprint finish, completed the stage in just over four hours 25 minutes in poor weather conditions.
Sprinter Kaden Groves took second place ahead of Alpecin-Deceuninck team-mate Del Grosso, who had seemed poised to claim the stage after an attempted breakaway.
With last year's winner Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard not competing in Catalonia, 2023 champion Primoz Roglic and Tirreno-Adriatico winner Juan Ayuso are the favourites to claim the general classification victory.
Stage two on Tuesday takes riders 177.3 kilometres from Banyoles to Figueres.
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