Manx cyclist Mark Christian was in third place after the opening prologue at the Tour of Normandy on Monday.

The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist raced in the King of the Mountains jersey for the first road stage yesterday (Tuesday), after reaching the intermediate checkpoint of the 4.8km opener in the fastest time of all.

In yesterday's 196km stage, Christian was 18th in a field of 136 riders giving him 6th place in the overall standings, 12 seconds behind the leader.

The seven-day Tour of Normandy is a long-running French stage race with a reputation for tough racing.

It's also seen as a stepping stone for future stars, with current World Champion Thor Hushovd a past winner.