ESCONDIDO, Calif. (AP) — Lieuwe Westra of the Netherlands easily outsprinted Spanaird Francisco Mancebo to claim the sweltering and hilly stage 1 and assumed the overall race Sunday lead at the Amgen Tour of California.
Westra, an eight-year pro who claimed his 12th career win, completed the 102.6-mile Escondido road race in 4 hours, 31 minutes and 33 seconds as temperatures reached into the high 90s.
Mancebo finished second a few bikes lengths behind on the opening day of the eighth annual race that featured more than 12,000 feet of desert climbing.
Peter Sagan of Slovakia, who won five stages of the race last year, finished third, trailing by 6 seconds.
Westra, the 2012 Dutch national time trial title, received a 10-second bonus and leads Mancebo by 4 seconds in the eight-day race.
