
The breakaway prevailed on stage 1 of the Tour de la Provence as Arnaud Tendon (Van Rysel-Roubaix) oupaced Mattia Bais (Polti-VisitMalta) to the line just metres ahead of the peloton in Saint-Victoret.
The two breakaway survivors clung onto a diminishing lead in the closing kilometres of the soaking wet 163km stage from Marseille, holding off a charge led from behind by Ineos Grenadiers to contest the finish among themselves.