PORTO-VECCHIO, France (AP) — Frenchman Florian Vachon won the first stage of Corsica’s Criterium International on Saturday after edging his rivals in a sprint finish.
The Bretagne-Schuller rider completed the winding, 56-mile mountain course in 2 hours, 3 minutes, 48 seconds, beating Swiss rider Danilo Wyss and France’s Clement Koretzky at the line.
In the overall standings, Vachon has a two-second lead over Wyss, and is three seconds clear of third-place Frenchman Christophe Riblon after the stage’s sprint bonuses were taken into account.
Last year’s winner, Dutchman Frank Schleck, was 6 seconds behind overall.
The second stage, an individual time trial, will take place later on Saturday.
