After crashing out of the Tour de France, Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) has proved that he is fully ready to make amends in the Vuelta a Espana by winning the first stage of the Tour de l’Ain. After his team had worked very hard to bring an early break back, he beat Anthony Maldonado (Auber 93) and Samuel Dumoulin (Ag2r) in a bunch sprint to take both the stage victory and the leader’s jersey.

The 2015 season has been one to forget for Nacer Bouhanni. After a slow start to the season, he seemed to be in great condition at the Criterium du Dauphiné where he won two stages.

However, his bad luck continued in the French championships where he crashed just metres from the line, briefly endangering his Tour de France participation. He managed to recover in time for the start but another tumble forced him to leave the race before he had had a single chance to sprint.

Now his goal is to turn his season around in the Vuelta a Espana where he won two stages in 2014 and it seems that he is fully ready for the challenge. Less than two weeks ago he won the tough uphill sprint in the Circuit de Getxo and today he took another sprint win in the first stage of the Tour de l’Ain.

"It was difficult to catch the break as we are only six in the team," he told Directvelo. "The tean of the yellow jersey, LottoNL-Jumbo, rode early in the stage for 30-40 kilometers and then they did nothing.

"It was very stressful, I thought we were never going to get back. Marseille 13-KTM happily lent us strong hands in the final and we finally caugh them 500 meters from the line. I ended up in second position just behind Dominique Rollin who did a lot of work until 400 meters were left. 

"I made ​​the effort before the last corner which was very tight, I wanted to be well placed. I did not necessarily have the ambition to take the turn in front but that's what happened. Then I launched my sprint 200-300 meters from the line and it was enough. 

"Tomorrow I will have a chance to do the double, I will try to do this but it will not necessarily be easy. To take the yellow jersey is anecdotal because I won't keep in until the end. I'm looking for more victories to prepare for the Tour of Spain."

"Like all sprinters, Nacer (Bouhanni) needs to win," his coach Jacques Decrion told Directvelo. "Upon seeing the finish line, the amount of adrenaline increases. He took a break after his crash in the Tour de France. He returned after three weeks and he feels really good. He was already good in the Circuit de Getxo. 

"Romain Hardy and Yoann Bagot did a great job. Then it was Stéphane Rossetto who chased and the lead-out was made by Cyril Lemoine and Dominique Rollin. Now the goal is to win the second stage on Thursday."