Intro:

Maciej Paterski won a three-way sprint finish in Monday's (23rd March) opening stage of La Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, with the peloton losing two minutes and 40 seconds to the Polish rider.

Script:

The 95th edition of La Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, the world's fourth oldest stage race, set off on Monday with the first of seven stages - a 185.2-kilometre course that stared and finished in the seaside town of Calella and covered three categorised climbs.

There was one notable absentee in the field after defending champion and two-time La Volta winner Joaquim Rodriguez withdrew from the race on Sunday with a stomach virus.

Pierre Rolland, Maciej Paterski and Bart de Clercq formed the day's main breakaway, with the trio building a lead of as much as 13 minutes in the windy conditions.

With Team Sky at the front of the peloton, looking to minimise any potential losses for leader Chris Froome, the gap started to come down.

However, the chase lacked motivation and organisation and with a clean descent from the final climb of the day - Rolland, Paterski and de Clercq ensured the stage winner would come from their group.

Belgian de Clerq got the resulting sprint finish underway, but his effort merely provided the launchpad for the decisive battle between Rolland and Paterski.

France's Rolland swung off the back of the group with one-hundred metres to go, but his move was marked by Paterski and the Pole powered across the finishing line in a winning time of four hours, 33 minutes and 41 seconds.

De Clerq's compatriot Tosh van der Sande won the ensuing sprint for fourth place, but the peloton had lost a considerable two minutes and 40 seconds to Paterski.

The CCC-Sprandi-Polkowice rider, who won last year's Tour of Norway, claimed possession of the overall leader's white and green jersey and he will have high hopes of wearing it long after the conclusion of Tuesday's second stage from Mataro to Olot.