The most winning Italian cyclist of the past year, Sacha Modolo, started the new season with a place on the podium. 

At the end of the 1st stage of Tour de San Luis, the fans attended a show suitable for the fastest riders of the bunch. On the arrival in Villa Mercedes, 186.8 km from the start in San Luis, the sprinters battled in a bunch sprint that gave the victory to the Colombian Gaviria who surprised Cavendish (2nd) and Modolo (3rd).

After the first light climb towards the summit of La Cumbre (18.5 km into the race), the course had no more climbs, so the sprinters' teams faced no problems controlling and later neutralizing a three-rider breakaway (Messineo, Perez and Williams) with 10km to go in order to bring the race down to a bunch sprint.

Gaviria anticipated Cavendish and Modolo, who could no longer catch him.

Modolo could not rely on his lead-out man Maximilano Richeze: unlucky season debut for the Argentinian rider who got involved in a crash at 20 km to go. Team doctor Carlo Guardascione is checking the health conditions of the South American sprinter.

The team mate Luka Pibernik, the Slovenian young gun in his first race in blue-fuchsia-green jersey, crashed too, but fortunately without suffering injuries.

"Starting the season on the podium is already going a good indication of my form," said Modolo. "I'm fine. It is a shame not to have taken this early opportunity. There will be other opportunities, I will be even more competitive to try to win. 

"Congratulations to Gaviria, an opponent more to consider. I hope Richeze is not too bad after his crash."