Sky sprinter Danny Van Poppel wins Vuelta a Burgos opening stage
Dutchman Danny Van Poppel kicks off Team Sky's campaign at the Vuelta a Burgos in Spain with stage one win and overall race lead


Dutch sprinter Danny Van Poppel took his second victory for Team Sky on Tuesday, winning the opening stage of the Vuelta a Burgos in Spain to take the early race lead.
Van Poppel out-powered Jean-Pierre Drucker (BMC) to take the victory in Melgar de Fernamental after 158km of racing. Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep) placed third. Van Poppel took the victory despite crashing earlier in the stage.
British national champion Adam Blythe (Tinkoff) reported that he could not contest the sprint as his chain slipped inside the final kilometre, causing his foot to slip out of his pedal.
Earlier in his debut season with Team Sky, Van Poppel won a stage of the Tour de Yorkshire. He also made a notable finish to stage four of the Tour de Suisse, where he performed a high-speed rolling endo to avoid crashing in the sprint.
Van Poppel wears the overall race leader's jersey going into the second stage, an unusual stage that comprises a short but hilly 10.72km team time trial. The 23-year-old will ride alongside Sky team-mates Ian Boswell, Peter Kennaugh, Sebastian Henao, Christian Knees, David Lopez, Salvatore Puccio and Xabier Zandio.
>>> Alberto Contador, Simon Yates and Alex Dowsett feature in Vuelta a Burgos
The five-day UCI 2.HC-ranked race is an important one for Alberto Contador (Tinkoff), who makes his first stage race appearance after dropping out of the Tour de France in July due to injury and illness. The Spaniard is aiming to ride into condition for the Vuelta a España at the end of the month haviong been forced to also miss the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
British rider Simon Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) is one of Contador's biggest rivals for the overall victory – which will be settled on the race's final day, a 'queen' stage with a mountain finish at Lagunas de Neila.
Results
Vuelta a Burgos 2016, stage one: Sasamon to Melgar de Fernamental, 158km
1. Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky
2. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing
3. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep
4. Wouter Wipper (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac
5. Steele Von Hoff (Aus) One Pro Cycling
6. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Movistar
7. Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data
8. Pieter Vanspeybroucke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen
9. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Orica-BikeExchange
10. Zico Waeytens (Bel) Giant-Alpecin all same time
General classification after stage one
1. Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky
2. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing
3. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
-
How I got my non-cyclist friend hooked on riding bikes — and how you can, too
With a little bit of gentle guidance, “bikes aren’t my thing” can turn into “when’s our next ride?”
By Marley Blonsky
-
Madison Flux short sleeve jersey review: functional and affordable
The road cycling jersey delivers top performance for a budget-conscious cyclist
By Hannah Bussey
-
'It can really push me along' - How a velodrome comeback is making Caleb Ewan faster on the road
Australian says he'll "definitely" continue track work after rekindling passion
By Tom Davidson
-
Could Caleb Ewan be Ineos Grenadiers' first Tour de France sprinter since Mark Cavendish? 'That's my goal'
"All I can do is try to win as much as possible and prove that I deserve to be there," says Australian
By Tom Davidson
-
'An unprecedented opportunity for brands to be part of the evolution' - Ineos Grenadiers sponsor hunt steps up with sales agency partnership
Sportfive have been employed to find "non-endemic global partners for the team"
By Adam Becket
-
'We've all got a little bit extra in us this year' - Ineos Grenadiers recapture 'fighting spirit' with aggressive Paris-Nice display
British team continue to put tumultuous 2024 behind them with momentum and a new found mentality
By Tom Thewlis
-
Could a TotalEnergies deal be the end of Ineos Grenadiers as we know them?
Reports suggested this week that Ineos could be close to signing a deal with the French petrochemical firm
By Tom Thewlis
-
'They’re racing with their hearts again' - Robbie McEwen on Ineos Grenadiers' bright start to 2025
The British squad have already won four times in 2025
By Tom Thewlis
-
Ineos Grenadiers are entertaining so far this year, but how long will it last?
The British WorldTour squad have won four times already in 2025, but more than that, they have been fun. Is this the new dawn?
By Adam Becket
-
Caleb Ewan says he was put in a 'bad situation' by Jayco AlUla before he joined Ineos Grenadiers
Ewan joined Ineos Grenadiers in January after spending just one year with Jayco AlUla
By Tom Thewlis