AUSTRALIAN Caleb Ewan sprinted to victory in a photo finish on the opening stage of the Tour of Britain.

The 23-year-old Orica-Scott rider edged out Dimension Data's Edvald Boasson Hagen on the line, with Team Sky's Elia Viviani in third in the 190-kilometre ride from Edinburgh to Kelso.

Mark Cavendish, competing for the first time since breaking his shoulder blade in July's Tour de France, finished seven and a half minutes behind on the first day of the eight-stage race which finishes in Cardiff next Sunday.

Polish rider Karol Domagalski was in the breakaway group clear of the peloton when he was knocked off his bike by a rival team car 38 miles into the race but was not seriously injured and recovered quickly to claim the sprinters' jersey at the end of the stage.

Day two sees riders tackle the longest stage of the tour, 131 miles from from Kielder Water to Blyth.