Tour of the Alps. Stage 1. Pello Bilbao is 4th, Nikita Stalnov is 5th

NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM Two riders of Astana Pro Team finished next to the daily podium of the first stage of the Tour of the Alps, started April 22 in Austrian town Kufstein (144 km). Pello Bilbao finished 4th and Nikita Stalnov did 5th in a sprint from a reduced group.

After the breakaway of the day has been caught, Astana increased the pace in the main group immediately from the bottom of the last climb of the distance. Later, four riders attacked to open a gap of 10-15 seconds. However, Astana Pro Team continued pushing hard in front of the reduced group and, finally closed the gap with some 4 km to go. Despite several late attacks nobody could get an advantage and, thus, everything in this stage was decided in a sprint, won by the Britton Tao Geoghegan Hart ahead of Alex Aranburu, Roland Thalmann, Pello Bilbao and Nikita Stalnov.

The second stage of the race will be held April 23: 178.7 km from Reith im Alpbachtal to Schenna/Scena.