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Sarriguren - Michael Matthews of Sunweb looked convincing as he won a bunch sprint on stage one of the Tour of the Basque Country on Monday.
The 28-year-old got the edge on two other Australians Jay McCarthy of Bora and Simon Gerrans of Orica at the end of the 153km ride from Pamplona to Sarriguren.
Quick-Step's Julian Alaphilippe made a late solo break that appeared to have handed him the stage before he suffered an untimely puncture.
Defending champion Alberto Contador fell in the final kilometre of the race but rolled home unharmed.
"I'm not hurting anywhere for the moment," Spain's top Tour rider Contador said after losing no time in the race.
Tuesday's second of six stages should also end in a bunch sprint after a flat 173km run from Pamplona to Elciego.
Results from the first stage of Tour of the Basque Country, a 153.3km ride from Pamplona to Sarriguren:
1. Michael Matthews (AUS/GIA) 153.3 km in 3hr 45min 07sec (average: 40.9 km/h), 2. Jay McCarthy (AUS/BOA) at 0:00, 3. Simon Gerrans (AUS/ORI) 0:00, 4. Jhonatan Restrepo (COL/KAT) 0:00, 5. Sean De Bie (BEL/LOT) 0:00, 6. Maximiliano Richeze (ARG/ETI) 0:00, 7. Rigoberto Uran (COL/CAN) 0:00, 8. Anthony Roux (FRA/FDJ) 0:00, 9. Ben Swift (GBR/LAM) 0:00, 10. Gregor Mhlberger (AUT/BOA) 0:00.
