CYCLING TOUR DE TRUMP : East German Pro Wins the 95.3-Mile First Stage

Olaf Ludwig, one of only six East German professional athletes, surged in the final 100 yards Friday and claimed the accident-marred Wilmington-to-Baltimore Road Race, the first stage of the Tour de Trump bicycle race.

Ludwig, 30, winner of the 1988 Olympic road-race gold medal, covered 95.3-mile course in 3 hours 50 minutes 19 seconds on an overcast day. His margin of victory was about half a bike length.

“With 200 meters left, I didn’t believe I would win,” Ludwig said via an interpreter. “But the wind was strong, so it was hard for everyone to sprint.”

Davis Phinney of Boulder, Colo., who won the stage last year in a photo finish, placed second. Michael Zanoli, a native of the Netherlands who also lives in Boulder, placed third.

Victor Hugo Olarte of Colombia collided with Canadian amateur Sean Way about 62 miles into the race. Olarte, who fell on his head and was unconscious for several minutes, was taken to the Maryland Trauma Center by helicopter. Way was able to continue the race. A medical coordinator said it’s believed Olarte suffered a first- or second-degree concussion.

Raul Alcala of Mexico, the winner of Thursday’s prologue, finished 22nd but maintained his overall race lead by six seconds over Ludwig.

Tour de France winner Greg LeMond finished 112th and is 75th overall, 31 seconds behind the leader.

The second stage of the 1,107-mile, 11-day race, the 35-mile Baltimore Criteroum, was scheduled for later Friday night.