Irishman Nicholas Roche finished eleventh overall in the Tour du Haut Var in France.
The first race of the season on European soil, is a two stage race and saw the first stage won by Thor Hushovd, who won the 152.5km stage from Le Cannet des Maures to La Croix Valmer in a time of 3.44.22 beat Tom Slagter and FDJ's Arthur Vichot..
Roche, riding now for SaxoTinkoff following his move from AG2R La Mondiale, finished fourteenth on the second stage which was a 207km stage starting and finishing in Draguignan.
Lars Boom who had attacked around the halfway point in a group of fifteen riders got away again with two kilometres to go and won in a time of 5.18.06.
Arthur Vichot finished third and this gave him the overall victory beating Lars Boom and Laurents Ten Dam.