Mark Cavendish claimed stage 1 of the 103rd Tour de France in Utah Beach as he outsprinted Marcel Kittel and Peter Sagan to take the first yellow jersey of his career. He previously led the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España. This is his 27th stage victory at the Tour de France. Like in 2011, Alberto Contador crashed during stage 1 as 81 kilometres were yet to be covered. However, the Spaniard crossed the line in the same time as all the favourites.
Paul Voss takes the first polka dot jersey
198 riders started stage 1 of the 103rd Tour de France in front of the Mont-Saint-Michel. Leigh Howard (IAM Cycling) was the first attacker, followed by Jan Barta and Paul Voss (Bora-Argon 18). The latter rode away to take the two points up for grab in the King of the Mountains competition at Avranches (km 20) and falaise de Champeaux (km 39). At 40km, a group of five leaders was composed with the addition of two chasers, Anthony Delaplace (Fortuneo-Vital Concept) and Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac). The biggest deficit of the peloton was 4.30 after 30km of racing. Belgian riders Julien Vermote of Etixx-Quick Step and Thomas De Gendt from Lotto-Soudal led the peloton to set the pace and maintain the gap around three minutes for their respective sprinter Marcel Kittel and André Greipel.
Mark Cavendish se adjudico la primera etapa de la edicion 103 del Tour de France en Utah Beach tras un embalaje con Marcel Kittel y Peter Sagan, para vestir de lider por primera vez en su carrera. anteriormente lidero el Giro de Italia y la vuelta a España. esta es su vigésima septima victoria en el Tour de France. como en el 2011, Alberto Contador se accidento en la primera etapa, kilometro 81 pero se pudo recuperar y pudo cruzar la meta con el grupo de favoritos…entre los que estan Christopher Froome y el Colombiano Nairo Quintana quienes perdieron 33 segundos con el primer lider de la competencia…
