After just nine miles (14 km) of the stage from Augusta to Macon, Dan Bowman staged an early solo break in the rolling Georgia countryside to open up a 13 minute gap before the peloton reacted and began to reel in the 23-year-old rider.

He was absorbed back into the pack after 91 miles (146 km) alone and the peloton set up for a sprint finish in Macon.

Hunter surged to the front around 200 yards (metres) from the line to win the stage ahead of Australia's [ Images ] Ben Brooks and Italy's [ Images ] Michele Maccanti.

Thousands of spectators lined the route for Tuesday's stage to get a glimpse of Armstrong, who announced on Monday that he would retire after July's Tour de France [ Images ].

It was an uneventful day for the 33-year-old Texan, who is using the six-stage Georgia tour as a tune-up for this year's Tour de France where he will chase an unprecedented seventh crown.

The second stage of the six stage Georgia race will be a 127.7 mile (205.5 km) dash from Fayetteville to Rome.