The opening stage of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain, a challenging 181.9km route starting and finishing in Kelso, was marked by early attacks and intense racing. From the drop of the flag, the peloton was eager to break the elastic, with riders attempting to establish an early lead. Peebles’ own Callum Thornley was among the first to make a move, joining forces with Julius Johansen and Callum Ormiston inside the first 20km. The trio worked well together, building a lead of over three minutes as they tackled the undulating terrain and collected points on the categorised climbs.
Thornley proved to be the strongest climber of the day, securing the King of the Mountains jersey after dominating the ascents of Scott’s View and Dingleton. However, as the race progressed, Ormiston was dropped, and the peloton, led by several teams determined to bring the breakaway back, began to close the gap.
With just over 30km remaining, the race saw a series of attacks from the peloton as Julian Alaphilippe and Remco Evenepoel tried to break free. These efforts split the field and created a select group, but none of the moves stuck, and the race came back together for a tense run into Kelso.
As the peloton approached the finish, Soudal Quick-Step took control, with Evenepoel and Alaphilippe working hard at the front to set up their sprinter. Paul Magnier, positioned perfectly for the final sprint, made his move just before the cobbled section. The young Frenchman powered through, crossing the line first and taking the stage win. Ethan Vernon finished second, with Robert Donaldson securing third.
Magnier, reflecting on his victory, said, “It’s incredible, we did a really amazing team performance. Remco and Julian tried to go on the climb but it was really hard to get away, so then they worked for me for the sprint. They did it very well. I was in perfect position and I’m really happy to take the victory for the team.”
Thornley, who had been in the breakaway for much of the day, added, “It’s pretty special to do that on home roads. That was my plan at the start of the race—to get in the breakaway—and to make it happen is pretty special. It was good seeing all the Scottish flags up there. I’ll have to try and get in the breakaway again and get as many points as I can.”
The race now heads to the north-east of England for Stage 2, a 152.1km route from Darlington to Redcar, which promises more challenges as the peloton takes on the climbs of the North York Moors National Park.
2024 Tour of Britain Stage 1 result
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Main photo credit: SWPix.com
