Team Sky's Elia Viviani won a dramatic sprint finish for the first stage of the Tour of Britain on Sunday ahead of Britain's Mark Cavendish.

Cavendish looked set to win the sprint following the run from Beaumaris to Wrexham as he led Andre Greipel round the final bend.

But Italian Viviani managed to sneak through to snatch victory ahead of  Cavendish.

"On the last turn I took Greipel's wheel and when he did not start his sprint I thought he had left it too late," Viviani told ITV.

"But when Cavendish went I saw a space on the left and I went for the line. I thought maybe I had won but I didn't know until a few metres after."

The trio were among a main bunch who hauled in a four-rider breakaway with two kilometres remaining to set up the thrilling finish.

Monday's second stage of eight is a 159.3km ride through Lancashire from Clitheroe to Colne in northern England.
Source: AFP