03.03 - Tour of Murcia - Stage 1

Welcome to Murcia - and yes, the sun is shining very brightly today..!

SCENERYMURCIA

Danny Pate is leading a four man escape away...

PATEGARMINMURCIA

Happy old men - with their combined age of around 80 years, Lance Armstrong and Inigo Cuesta are talking pension-talk at the front of the peloton...

CUESTAARMSTRONGMURCIA

Robbie Hunter stops to make a wheel change - this could be a big day for him with the anticipated sprint-finish...

HUNTERGARMINMECHANICMURCIA

This is no typical Tour of Murcia - the fledgling Caja Rural team are racing against the big boys this year...

Veteran Robert Bartko leads an official German team...

BARTKOMURCIA

Theo Bos has given up the track for the road - could he win today..? And is he still talking to Daryl Impey after their crash last year...?

BOSMURCIA

New Zealand champion, Jack Bauer, is in Murcia with the British Endura team...

BAUERENDURAMURCIA

This is Bradley Wiggins, surely the favourite to win here because of the time trial next Saturday..?

WIGGINSSKYMURCIA

Lieuw Westra is in the escape and heading for some climbing points - they are sitting on a five-minute lead halfway through the stage...

No matter if it's Australia, Qatar, Belgium or Spain - Sky's Russell Downing will be collecting water bottles wherever he is...

DOWNINGBOTTLESMURCIA

The peloton heads down to the sea on the Costa Calida, aware that it's getting windy out there...

SCENERYMURCIA

Rabobank fancies a sprint-win for Graeme Brown - and take it upon themselves to start the serious chasing...

RABOBANKWINDMURCIA

With that dreaded No.13 on his back, Max Iglinsky is taking things easy at the back of the peloton...

IGLINSKYASTANAMURCIA

The big climb of the day is taking the Tour of Murcia up to the Alto del Cedacero - that's quite a view they've got..!

SCENERYMURCIA

The race has hit the expected crosswinds with 40-kilometres to go - Rabobank hits the front again...

RABOBANKWINDMURCIA

It's the weaker teams of Russia, Spain and Germany who lose contact first...

WINDECHELONMURCIA

Blain, Reig and Pate are doomed now - and that's a very red-looking peloton coming up to them...

PATEGARMINBLAINMURCIA

Radio Shack are in control, but there's a lot of water out there still...

SHACKZUBELDIAMURCIA

Let's speed it up a little, shall we..? Daryl Impey accelerates for his Shack teamates...

SHACKimpeyMURCIA

The pros' are getting spat out now - that's Peter Stetina (No. 36) fighting a losing battle with the wind...

WINDECHELONMURCIA

Race-favourite David Zabriskie is hanging on for grim death out there - just who's on the front at such speeds..?!

ZABRISKIEGARMINMURCIA

Yep, you guessed it - The Boss is on the front at 65-kilometres-per-hour and loving it..!

SHACKARMSTRONGMURCIA

Robbie Hunter wins stage one of the Tour of Murcia from Graeme Brown and Vicente Reynes...

HUNTERGARMINMURCIA

Robbie Hunter has taken his first victory for Garmin, and gets to wear the race-leader's jersey tomorrow...

HUNTERGARMINMURCIA