Bradley Wiggins wins stage and takes Tour de Romandie lead

Bradley Wiggins overcame a puncture to win the first road stage of the Tour de Romandie and take the race lead.

It was a second successive stage win for Team Sky after Geraint Thomas's victory in Tuesday's opening prologue.

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“It's really nice to win a sprint like this because normally I only ever really win time trials.”

Bradley Wiggins Tour de Romandie leader

Wiggins edged ahead in a sprint finish at the end of the 184.5km (114.7-mile) route from Morges to La Chaux-de-Fonds.

"I had a lot of adrenaline after I punctured with 25k to go. When that happened the boys dropped back for me and did a fantastic job,'' he said.

Speaking to the Team Sky website,  he added: "Then in the final I was kind of on my own and marshalling everything and I just wanted to pay them back for everything they'd done, they were incredible.

"I've got them to thank and it was really nice to be able to finish it off like that.

"I want to win Romandie, that's for sure. I'll take what I can every day and it's really nice to win a sprint like this because normally I only ever really win time trials."

Lieuwe Westra was second with Paolo Tiralongo third as Wiggins took the race leader's jersey by seven seconds from Sky team-mate Michael Rodgers.

Having recovered from his puncture the British national champion hit the front just 400m from the line to secure victory.

Stage one results:

1. Bradley Wiggins (Britain / Team Sky) 4hrs 50mins 23secs

2. Lieuwe Westra (Netherlands / Vacansoleil) same time

3. Paolo Tiralongo (Italy / Astana) same time

4. Tejay Van Garderen (U.S. / BMC Racing) same time

5. Maciej Paterski (Poland / Liquigas) same time

Overall standings:

1. Bradley Wiggins (Britain / Team Sky) 4hrs 53mins 51secs

2. Michael Rogers (Australia / Team Sky) +7 secs

3. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands / Rabobank) +9"

4. Stef Clement (Netherlands / Rabobank) same time

5. Andrew Talansky (U.S. / Garmin) +11"

6. Wilco Kelderman (Netherlands / Rabobank) same time