On the day when it was announced that he has extended his contract with Katusha, Aleksandr Porsev showed great form when he sprinted to sixth in the opening stage. Having maintained his Tour condition, the Russian champion hopes to win a stage in the 7-day race.

Russian champion Aleksandr Porsev was keen to win the first stage of the Eneco Tour in Terneuzen after having re-signed for Team Katusha for two more years.

"It was a very tricky and dangerous final of the race," he said. "Up to two kilometers from the finish I had a very good position but the surprise attack of Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Shimano) changed everything. I got boxed in a little bit but I managed to move up again. This gives me confidence for the coming days. The result was not there today, but you can be sure that I will try again. I just want to win a stage here."

"Aleksandr came here with the perfect condition," sports director Uwe Peschel said. "He was strong in the Tour de France and he saved this shape. That’s why we gave him all our trust for today. He was forced to lose his good spot in the front because he was boxed in, but anyway he was able to come back and finish in top-10. So, Aleksandr is in a right track to find his way to success. 

"The team did very well. Gatis was all day long in the front which made it easy for the rest of our team. Also Pavel Brutt did a nice try in the last lap. We have a motivated group here in Eneco Tour."

The mass sprint victory in Terneuzen, after a stage of 183 kilometer, went to Italian rider Andrea Guardini. Yohann Gène (Europcar) finished second, Davide Cimolai (Lampre-Merida) third.

Viacheslav Kuznetsov finished 16th after a nice return to the main group after having lost some time because of a crash of a BMC rider in front of him. Kuznetskov is also motivated to show his good Tour de Wallonie legs the coming days.

The Katusha man of the day was Gatis Smukulis who rode in the front for almost the whole day, together with Laurens De Vreese (Wanty-Gobert) and Kenneth Vanbilsen (Topsport Vlaanderen).

"A pity that I crashed just when we were caught by the peloton at 17 kilometers from the finish," he said. "My front wheel slipped in the wet corner. Normally I am always very careful in wet situations as I was now, but it was really very slippery over there.

"Fortunately I have no major injuries. I even enjoyed my day on the bike, in the front, in the rain. I am still not tired after the Tour de France. I recovered at home and now I am back. Even with pleasure."

With Katusha leading the teams classification, tomorrow stage 2 goes from Waalwijk to Vlijmen over 177 kilometers.