Marcus Burghardt took on the rare role of team sprinter in today's first stage of Volta a Catalunya and came away with 7th as a result. With the team protecting Samuel Sanchez and Tejay van Garderen for the GC, the team was keen to secure a good position for the team car ahead of the upcoming mountain stages.

BMC Racing Team's Marcus Burghardt finished seventh in the bunch sprint that capped Monday's opening stage of the Volta a Catalunya. 

Three categorized climbs were included in the final 60 kilometers of the 169.7-km race that started and finished in Calella. 

Two riders – Romain LeMarchand (Cofodis, Solutions Credits) and Boris Vallee (Lotto Belisol) – ventured off in the first 15 km and were later joined by Amets Txurruka (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), who bridged a nearly minute-long gap. But all three were caught with 20 km to go.

Another trio of riders – Mikael Cherel (AG2R La Mondiale), Romain Hardy (Cofodis, Solutions Credits) and Wilco Kelderman (Belkin Pro Cycling) – slipped the peloton on the descent of the final climb but they were also swept up as the race reached the outskirts of Calella.

Luka Mezgec (Team Giant-Shimano) took the win ahead of Leigh Howard (ORICA-GreenEDGE) and Julian Alaphilippe (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) as 162 of the 176 riders in the race finished in the same time as the winner.

"The team did a pretty good job, especially Sammy Sánchez, who worked well for me in the final," Burghardt said. "He helped me stay out of the wind and brought me into a good position. In the last meters, I was coming back pretty good, but I was missing the real punch to get in the top five and get some points." 

"This race is not easy but we have Tejay van Garderen and Samuel for the GC," sports director Yvon Ledanois said. "So I would like for this race – and the next races – good team spirit. I think it's the key for a good result. I saw the guys always in a good position.

"Just before the downhill, Samuel talked to Tejay and the guys and told them that was the moment. It was perfect. I also asked Marcus this morning that if he had the legs to go for the sprint. It's always good to have a good finish for the car position."

You can read our preview of stage two here and follow our live coverage at 15.15 CET on CyclingQuotes.com/live.