Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) won the sprint in the first stage of the Circuit de la Sarthe, after a stage in which the FDJ team took its responsibilities. Lorrenzo Manzin, however, can not defend his chances in the sprint.

From the start, three riders took off: Romain Lemarchand (Cult Energy), Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (MTN-Qhubeka) and Carlos Botero Ramirez (Colombia). With the best sprinter on their roster, Cofidis gave the three leading men a considerable lead, 11.30 at km 60, and it forced FDJ to react.

"Cofidis did not really to anything," explains sports director Franck Pineau. "Thinking of the GC, I asked Anthony Roux to ride and he brought the gap down from six to three minutes. He rode for 20km, alone, and reduced the deficit by 2 minutes. Then the Cannondale team started to work."

In the final winding part of the route through the streets of Varades, the sprinters knew they had to be in the top 5 to get a result. Laurent Pichon took care of Lorrenzo Manzin but the two riders got lost so there was no sprint for the FDJ rookie.

"Wednesday will be a long day," says Franck Pineau," with a morning stage that will end in a sprint in Angers and where Lorrenzo will defend his chances, and an afternoon time trial. Arthur Vichot will go full gas before the final two stages which suit him well."