Tour of Britain: Askey burns the cobblestones at Michaelgate

Britain's Lewis Askey won the first stage of the Tour of Britain Men, breaking away on the cobbles of the Michaelgate climb and holding out to the finish with a perfectly timed attack. It was a victory reminiscent of the great Classics, with the NSN Cycling Team rider able to read the race better than anyone at the decisive moment.

Behind him, just two seconds behind, was Filippo Ganna (Netcompany Ineos), while the stage podium was completed by Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who made a courageous attack but it was not enough for the victory.

The race had already been partially decided during the second of four final 13km laps around Lincoln, when Askey helped form a twelve-man breakaway. The leading group had built a significant lead of more than a minute and a half over the chasing pack, allowing the attackers to freely compete for victory in the final kilometres.

Toward the end, with the leading group sifting through each other, with no one able to break away, the key moment of the stage arrived: the ascent of the short but incredibly tough cobbled Michaelgate wall in downtown Lincoln. Wellens attacked first, gaining a few meters on his rivals, then Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) relaunched, appearing to have what it takes to sprint to victory. But it was at that precise moment that Askey pulled off his best move: a lightning-fast counterattack right on the cobbles, capable of absorbing the Belgian and propelling him alone to the finish line.