CALELLA, Spain — Davide Cimolai of Italy won the opening stage of the Tour of Catalonia by less than a wheel on Monday.
The FDJ rider pushed his wheel just in front of Nacer Bouhanni as the two broke away in the final meters of the 179-kilometer (111-mile) mountainous stage starting and ending in the coastal town of Calella.
"The objective was to win one stage, and now I work for the team," Cimolai said after finishing the stage in 4 1/2 hours.
It was his second career win at the Tour of Catalonia after also winning a stage last year.
Tour de France winner Chris Froome and top rivals Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde finished safely in the peloton.
The stage on Tuesday is a 41-kilometer (25-mile) team time trial to and from Banyoles.
The week-long race in northeastern Spain concludes on Sunday in Barcelona.
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