Cycling woke from its winter-long hibernation Tuesday with just enough drama on and off the bike to christen the 2007 season in appropriate fashion.

A behind-the-scenes row involving Unibet.com’s jerseys at the GP d’Ouverture La Marseillaise couldn’t spoil an exciting victory by Jeremy Hunt and the return to racing by Tyler Hamilton.

Hunt out-kicked Hamilton’s new Tinkoff Credit Systems teammate Mikhail Ignatiev to give Unibet.com the win on the 126km course from Gardanne to Luminy near Marseille to officially open the 2007 European racing season.

The French calendar opened with controversy after race organizers told Unibet.com it wouldn’t be allowed to race because French law bans the advertising of foreign gambling and betting houses.

Team officials expressed exasperation with the demands, especially considering that Predictor-Lotto, co-sponsored by a Belgian lottery, was unaffected by the ruling.

Francaise des Jeux, sponsored by a French lottery, was also in the peloton without attracting attention. Paris-Nice organizers ASO is using the same rationale to keep the team out of the “Race to the Sun” next month.

UniBet can't show it's colors in France.

Photo: Agence France Presse

Instead of risking the chance to miss defending its title won last year by Baden Cooke, the team opted to race in neutral jerseys brandishing big question marks across the front. The spat and the ensuing photo opportunity certainly garnered more attention for Unibet.com than even winning the race.

On the bike, things were much more interesting. After a long winter of discontent, everyone seemed ready to get down to the business of racing bikes.

Hamilton was the lone American in the 16-team field, but also drew the attention from fans and media as he lined up for the first time since his two-year racing ban ended in September. Hamilton, 36 next month, missed the day’s decisive breakaway, but finished safely in the pack.

That wasn’t enough to earn him his official result, however. Only 16 riders were officially classified after the remainder of the peloton finished beyond the time limit more than 24 minutes back.

Hunt, meanwhile, snuck into early 14-man breakaway that sealed the day’s fate in the opening 15km of the race. The 32-year-old Brit was able to hold off punchy Russian Ignatiev to snag the win with such a margin there was no need for the question mark across his jersey.

Belgian strongman Staf Scheirlinckx (Cofidis) came through ahead of compatriot Glenn d’Hollander (Chocolade Jacques) to snag third.

Hamilton will line up again Wednesday for the five-day Etoile de Besseges. Other big names include Philippe Gilbert (FDJ), Axel Merckx (T-Mobile), Christophe Moreau (Ag2r) and Nick Nuyens (Cofidis).

Stages
Stage 1: Pezenas to Palayas-les-Flots, 147kmStage 2: Nimes to Saint-Ambroix, 149kmStage 3: Cendrars to La Grand Combe, 138kmStage 4: Les Fumades-Les Fumades, 151kmStage 5: Gagnieres to Besseges, 148km