Thor Hushovd (BMC Racing Team) ended a 17 months victory drought by winning the opening stage of the Tour du Haut Var.

The French two days stage race, Tour du Haut Var, started today with a 152 km stage from Le Cannet des Maures to La Croix Valmer through a terrain that posed few challenges for the peloton.

A trio of Rudy Kowalski (Roubaix Lille Metropole), Arnaud Gérard (Bretagne) and Dimitri Le Boulch (BigMat) tried, unsuccessfully, to escape the clutches of the chasing pack.

17 km from the finish line the trio was gulped down by their pursuers and thus a sprint decision was on the cards.

Following a troubled 2012 season Hushovd timed his sprint flawlessly and took victory – his first since taking the 4th stage of Tour of Britain in 2011.

Tour du Haut Var ends tomorrow with a considerably more hilly stage starting and finishing in Draguignan.