Asselmen takes Stage 1 of the Tour de Yorkshire

Jesper Asselmen won stage one of the Tour de Yorkshire as the breakaway just barely held on in Selby.

Roompot-Charles' Asselmen was one of four survivors of the day's breakaway to make it into town ahead of the chasing pack, and won by just a few metres on the line.

The result was reminiscent of Harry Tanfield's victory on the opening day of last year's race in Doncaster, where this stage began.

The thrilling finish came at the end of 182 rain-sodden kilometres as the Tour de Yorkshire's magic touch with the weather deserted it.

The breakaway, originally composed of seven riders, never led by more than two-and-a-half minutes and seemed to have little chance.

Chris Froome's Team Ineos and Mark Cavendish's Team Dimenion Data did much of the chasing but to no avail.

Italian Filippo Fortin emerged from the main peloton to finish second behind Roompot-Charles' Asselmen, with Jonas van Genechten of Vitus Pro-Cycling third.

There were four Brits in the top 10 with Gabriel Cullaigh of Le Col Wiggins fifth, Ethan Hayter of Great Britain sixth, Dimension Data's Mark Cavendish eighth and Chris Lawless of Ineos ninth.