MADRID: Latvia's Gatis Smukulis of HTC-Highroad won the first stage of the Tour of Catalonia, a 166.9-km ride that started and ended in Lloret de Mar Monday. The 23-year-old completed the stage, which included two first category climbs, in four hours, eight minutes and 48 seconds, 28 seconds ahead of Italy's sprint ace Alessandro Petacchi of Lampre. Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador finished 10th on the stage in the peloton after his Saxo Bank team helped reduce the large gap the stage winner had built up.