Nacer Bouhanni continued his excellent start to the season when he took his third win in less than a month in today's opening stage of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe. Usually supported by a constantly improving lead-out train, Bouhanni proved that he can also do it on his own as he got lost in the finale but still managed to come away with the win.

Nacer Bouhanni was furious when his FDJ team decided not to include him on their Milan-Sanremo roster but he has decided to prove them wrong in the best possible way. Less than two weeks ago he won the first stage of the Criterium International and today he added another win to his palmares as he continued his love story withe the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe.

Last year Bouhanni already won the two first stages of the race and this year he set himself up for a repeat of that feat by again winning the opening ride. The Frenchman had the full support from his FDJ team who rode on the front of the peloton all day long to keep a three-rider break in check.

"It is true that we rode all day with good help from the Europcar team and we were able to make the inevitable bunch sprint," sports director Thierry Bricaud said. "The finish was not easy, it was a little messy. Nacer lost his teammates but he did it on his own."

This year Bouhanni has started to work with new lead-out man Sebastien Chavanel and the duo seems to be working well together. Today, however, they lost each other in the hectic finale and so Bouhanni had to do it on his own.

"Yes, I lost Seb Chavanel and Laurent Pichon," he said. "There were two turns 500 meters from the finish line, I went through in third place behind Duque (Colombia) and Nizzolo (Trek Factory) and I started at 250 meters. I finished well."

Bouhanni gets another chance in tomorrow's opening half-stage which should be another one for the sprinters but he is expected to lose the lead in the afternoon time trial.