The first stage of the Anniversary edition of the Tour de France has been won by Marcel Kittel and with it, wears the leader’s jersey
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The Stage
The 2013 Tour de France started badly for Team Sky with Chris Froome puncturing in the neutralised zone and then needing a bike change with the whole team there with him to get him back into the peloton. It was said he’d crashed after hitting the gutter.
After probably the most chaotic finish in the races history, Marcel Kittel won after Cavendish, Sagan, Griepel and others all crashed out.
The riders were racing under sunny skies, and with little wind, the race was soon through zero kilometre and at the head of affairs was Europcar’s Cousin pulling clear a break of five riders as soon as the race director Prudhomme had dropped the flag.
In the break were Jérome Cousin (Europcar), Juan Antonio Flecha (Vacansoleil-DCM) in his 10th Tour, former Tour of Britain winner Lars Boom (Belkin), Juan José Lobato (Euskaltel), and Cyril Lemoine (Sojasun).
With the gap established, the peloton sat up and that was the race set for stage 1. Question was, who would take control of the peloton, the GC teams or the Sprinter teams? The answer to that was Mark Cavendish’s team, Omega Pharma Quickstep with some riders from other teams helping out and the peloton went from across the road to lined out.
With the break established, and the peloton riding tempo, there was little action until the KoM sprint where the five riders all showed they wanted the podium spot the single KoM point would give them. With the quintet using all the road in a very tactical battle it was a full gas sprint where the man in orange, J-J Lobato (Euskaltel) got to the line first.
Video (not English commentary)
After the sprint, it was back to through and off and whilst a break would normally combine to open up a big gap, the five leaders sat up several times and were almost caught. The second time they did this, Jérome Cousin (Europcar), went off alone and after looking like they were going to sit up and let themselves be caught, the other members of the break decided to get back to work and chased the French rider down. All very curious!
Omega Pharma – Quick-Step, Lotto Belisol & Argos – Shimano were the teams controlling the race and each time the break sat up, so did the peloton who didn’t want to bring the break back. The speed of the race was certainly not high in the first few hours, 25mph or so, but that changed gradually, first as the break opened up a lead of four minutes and then even higher as the battle between the sprint trains began for the first of the Green jersey midrace sprints.
In the break, Flecha attacked with 500 metres to go chased by Tour of Britain winner Lars Boom and it was Boom who got maximum points towards the Green jersey. In the peloton though, six sprint trains lined up side by side and it was Andre Greipel (Lotto Belisol) who crossed the line just ahead of Mark Cavendish (Quickstep) and then Peter Sagan (Cannondale) in the sprint for sixth.
Green Jersey Sprint
1. Boom
2. Flecha
3. Lemoine
4. Cousin
5. Lobato
6. Grepiel
7. Cavendish
8. Sagan
The battle now was for the stage win and in the break, Lobato lost contact as the peloton closed in. As far out as 40k to go, with the race althogether, there was a mixture of GC and Sprint teams getting their trains at the front keeping their key riders out of trouble. First GC team to make the move was Saxobank-Tinkoff for Contador and then Radioshack with 41 year old Jens Voight and the speed with 34k to go was now frantic.
Sky moved to the front but as the roads narrowed, the pace dropped and the chances of a crash became more probable. But we weren’t expecting what happened next! The Orica GreenEdge team bus got stuck under the finish gantry and with the race 10 or 12 minutes away, panic set in.
Riders were told the finish was at 3k to go and so sprint trains took up the running earlier and then chaos as Cavendish, Sagan, Grepiel and others crashed 6k from the finish. So many crashed including Contador but the race finish was then moved back to the finish line as the bus was removed with only minutes before the race came thundering down the road towards them.
With so many of the favourites crashing, the next in line was Kittel and he didn’t disappoint, coming off the wheel in the closing 100 metres to take the victory and the first yellow jersey. But the chaos wasn’t over as the result had been taken at 3k to go and so even that wasn’t known.
The Tour de France can be unpredictable but this was probably the king of all messes that the riders have had to endure… I got a feeling this story will run on a bit ….
The stage winner said afterwards “This morning I just thought I’d try to go a good race, that’s what I always think before line up at the start. I was just trying to do my best and now we’ve got the yellow jersey. This is absolutely awesome and I really cannot believe it.
“There was a big fight for the stage win, of course – as we knew that the winner would also have yellow – and everyone tried to stay in front so there was a lot of chaos but I’m very happy that my team worked so well to keep me out of trouble and keep me in a good position and to keep me safe.”
“It’s perfect to have the yellow jersey: it’s like gold on shoulders and I’m so, so happy that I can wear it today.
“The finish was hectic. Chaotic. There were quite a lot of crashes and then, in the end, we had to do a lead-out that was far from normal. We had to go really early, with one-and-a-half kilometres to go to the finish.”
“Unfortunately some of my sprint rivals crashed today and it’s always nice to compete against the best and to show that you can also win against them, not only if there’s a crash. I’m looking forward to the next stages to sprint against André [Greipel] and Mark [Cavendish].”
“To be honest though, I don’t want to even think about the next few stages; right now I just want to enjoy the yellow jersey and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
“When I see the images on the television, I’m still speechless. It was a pretty unusual sprint compared to what we normally do because there was no real lead-out train in the end. Everyone was looking to us and we had to go really early.”
“In the end, I had to stay in the wheel of Marcel Sieberg – I think that’s who it was, but it might have been Jurgen Roelandts – and then, when I saw the 180 metres sign, I just went full-gas and sprinted with all I have.”
“I was shocked, to be honest… but in the best way for how you can feel shocked! It’s a dream that’s crome true now and I’m so, so proud for my team, myself and everyone who has supported me and believed I could win the stage today.â€
Stage – Full result
1 Kittel Marcel Team Argos-Shimano 04h 56′ 52”
2 Kristoff Alexander Katusha Team + 00′ 00”
3 van Poppel Danny Vacansoleil-Dcm + 00′ 00”
4 Millar David Garmin – Sharp + 00′ 00”
5 Trentin Matteo Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 00′ 00”
6 Dumoulin Samuel Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 00”
7 Henderson Gregory Lotto-Belisol + 00′ 00”
8 Roelandts Jurgen Lotto-Belisol + 00′ 00”
9 Rojas José Joaquin Movistar Team + 00′ 00”
10 Boeckmans Kris Vacansoleil-Dcm + 00′ 00”
11 Impey Daryl Orica Greenedge + 00′ 00”
12 van Marcke Sep Belkin Pro Cycling + 00′ 00”
13 Simon Julien Sojasun + 00′ 00”
14 Roche Nicolas Team Saxo-Tinkoff + 00′ 00”
15 Gerrans Simon Orica Greenedge + 00′ 00”
16 Kashechkin Andrey Astana Pro Team + 00′ 00”
17 Gutierrez José Ivan Movistar Team + 00′ 00”
18 Perez Moreno Ruben Euskaltel – Euskadi + 00′ 00”
19 Albasini Michael Orica Greenedge + 00′ 00”
20 Wynants Maarten Belkin Pro Cycling + 00′ 00”
21 Hivert Jonathan Sojasun + 00′ 00”
22 Péraud Jean-Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 00”
23 Evans Cadel Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 00”
24 Boasson Hagen Edvald Sky Procycling + 00′ 00”
25 Riblon Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 00”
26 Kreuziger Roman Team Saxo-Tinkoff + 00′ 00”
27 Blagutin Sergey Vacansoleil-Dcm + 00′ 00”
28 Schär Michael Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 00”
29 Kwiatkowski Michal Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 00′ 00”
30 Bardet Romain Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 00”
31 van Den Broeck Jurgen Lotto-Belisol + 00′ 00”
32 Cunego Damiano Lampre – Merida + 00′ 00”
33 Smukulis Gatis Katusha Team + 00′ 00”
34 Chavanel Sylvain Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 00′ 00”
35 Valverde Alejandro Movistar Team + 00′ 00”
36 Clarke Simon Orica Greenedge + 00′ 00”
37 Velits Peter Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 00′ 00”
38 vande Velde Christian Garmin – Sharp + 00′ 00”
39 Porte Richie Sky Procycling + 00′ 00”
40 Brutt Pavel Katusha Team + 00′ 00”
41 Froome Christopher Sky Procycling + 00′ 00”
42 Fuglsang Jakob Astana Pro Team + 00′ 00”
43 Sieberg Marcel Lotto-Belisol + 00′ 00”
44 Rodriguez Oliver Joaquin Katusha Team + 00′ 00”
45 Losada Alguacil Alberto Katusha Team + 00′ 00”
46 Terpstra Niki Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 00′ 00”
47 Quintana Rojas Nairo Alexander Movistar Team + 00′ 00”
48 Bakelants Jan Radioshack Leopard + 00′ 00”
49 Veelers Tom Team Argos-Shimano + 00′ 00”
50 Geschke Simon Team Argos-Shimano + 00′ 00”
51 Marino Jean Marc Sojasun + 00′ 00”
52 van Poppel Boy Vacansoleil-Dcm + 00′ 00”
53 de Kort Koen Team Argos-Shimano + 00′ 00”
54 Dumoulin Tom Team Argos-Shimano + 00′ 00”
55 Fedrigo Pierrick Fdj.Fr + 00′ 00”
56 Sicard Romain Euskaltel – Euskadi + 00′ 00”
57 Pinot Thibaut Fdj.Fr + 00′ 00”
58 Cavendish Mark Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 00′ 00”
59 Astarloza Mikel Euskaltel – Euskadi + 00′ 00”
60 Gasparotto Enrico Astana Pro Team + 00′ 00”
61 Lopez Garcia David Sky Procycling + 00′ 00”
62 Kennaugh Peter Sky Procycling + 00′ 00”
63 Kiryienka Vasili Sky Procycling + 00′ 00”
64 Burghardt Marcus Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 00”
65 Izaguirre Insausti Gorka Euskaltel – Euskadi + 00′ 00”
66 Lancaster Brett Daniel Orica Greenedge + 00′ 00”
67 Zubeldia Haimar Radioshack Leopard + 00′ 00”
68 Riutsou Kanstantsin Sky Procycling + 00′ 00”
69 Jeannesson Arnold Fdj.Fr + 00′ 00”
70 Niemiec Przemyslaw Lampre – Merida + 00′ 00”
71 Vorganov Eduard Katusha Team + 00′ 00”
72 Poroz Juan José Euskaltel – Euskadi + 00′ 00”
73 Panton Igor Euskaltel – Euskadi + 00′ 00”
74 Molard Rudy Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 00′ 00”
75 Hansen Adam Lotto-Belisol + 00′ 00”
76 Monfort Maxime Radioshack Leopard + 00′ 00”
77 Taaramäe Rein Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 00′ 00”
78 Didier Laurent Radioshack Leopard + 00′ 00”
79 Schleck Andy Radioshack Leopard + 00′ 00”
80 Gautier Cyril Team Europcar + 00′ 00”
81 Izaguirre Insausti Jon Euskaltel – Euskadi + 00′ 00”
82 Rolland Pierre Team Europcar + 00′ 00”
83 Vuillermoz Alexis Sojasun + 00′ 00”
84 Veilleux David Team Europcar + 00′ 00”
85 Poels Wouter Vacansoleil-Dcm + 00′ 00”
86 Delaplace Anthony Sojasun + 00′ 00”
87 Serpa José Lampre – Merida + 00′ 00”
88 Bouhanni Nacer Fdj.Fr + 00′ 00”
89 Nieve Iturralde Mikel Euskaltel – Euskadi + 00′ 00”
90 Quinziato Manuel Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 00”
91 Hesjedal Ryder Garmin – Sharp + 00′ 00”
92 Geniez Alexandre Fdj.Fr + 00′ 00”
93 Martin Daniel Garmin – Sharp + 00′ 00”
94 Nordhaug Lars-Peter Belkin Pro Cycling + 00′ 00”
95 Tankink Bram Belkin Pro Cycling + 00′ 00”
96 Noval Gonzalez Benjamin Team Saxo-Tinkoff + 00′ 00”
97 Ten Dam Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling + 00′ 00”
98 Westra Lieuwe Vacansoleil-Dcm + 00′ 00”
99 Arashiro Yukiya Team Europcar + 00′ 00”
100 Kuchynski Aliaksandr Katusha Team + 00′ 00”
101 Voeckler Thomas Team Europcar + 00′ 00”
102 Gesink Robert Belkin Pro Cycling + 00′ 00”
103 Gene Yohann Team Europcar + 00′ 00”
104 de Gendt Thomas Vacansoleil-Dcm + 00′ 00”
105 Vichot Arthur Fdj.Fr + 00′ 00”
106 Reza Kévin Team Europcar + 00′ 00”
107 Kadri Blel Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 00”
108 Gadret John Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 00”
109 Degenkolb John Team Argos-Shimano + 00′ 00”
110 Bonnet William Fdj.Fr + 00′ 00”
111 Talansky Andrew Garmin – Sharp + 00′ 00”
112 Danielson Thomas Garmin – Sharp + 00′ 00”
113 Boom Lars Belkin Pro Cycling + 00′ 00”
114 Bouet Maxime Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 00”
115 Rogers Michael Team Saxo-Tinkoff + 00′ 00”
116 Lemoine Cyril Sojasun + 00′ 00”
117 Mederel Maxime Sojasun + 00′ 00”
118 Curvers Roy Team Argos-Shimano + 00′ 00”
119 Amador Andrey Movistar Team + 00′ 00”
120 Trofimov Yury Katusha Team + 00′ 00”
121 Voigt Jens Radioshack Leopard + 00′ 00”
122 Bagot Yoann Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 00′ 00”
123 Flecha Giannoni Juan Antonio Vacansoleil-Dcm + 00′ 00”
124 Leezer Thomas Belkin Pro Cycling + 00′ 00”
125 O’grady Stuart Orica Greenedge + 00′ 00”
126 Avardauskas Ramunas Garmin – Sharp + 00′ 00”
127 Bennati Daniele Team Saxo-Tinkoff + 00′ 00”
128 Paulinho Sergio Miguel Moreira Team Saxo-Tinkoff + 00′ 00”
129 Tosatto Matteo Team Saxo-Tinkoff + 00′ 00”
130 Hernandez Blazquez Jesus Team Saxo-Tinkoff + 00′ 00”
131 Plaza Molina Ruben Movistar Team + 00′ 00”
132 Costa Rui Alberto Movistar Team + 00′ 00”
133 Roy Jérémy Fdj.Fr + 00′ 00”
134 Moreno Fernandez Daniel Katusha Team + 00′ 00”
135 Lobato Del Valle Juan José Euskaltel – Euskadi + 00′ 00”
136 Kessiakoff Fredrik Astana Pro Team + 00′ 00”
137 Gavazzi Francesco Astana Pro Team + 00′ 00”
138 Levarlet Guillaume Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 00′ 00”
139 Gilbert Philippe Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 00”
140 Bookwalter Brent Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 00”
141 Morabito Steve Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 00”
142 Bauer Jack Garmin – Sharp + 00′ 00”
143 Moser Moreno Cannondale + 00′ 00”
144 Fröhlinger Johannes Team Argos-Shimano + 00′ 00”
145 Timmer Albert Team Argos-Shimano + 00′ 00”
146 Castroviejo Nicolas Jonathan Movistar Team + 00′ 00”
147 Bazayev Assan Astana Pro Team + 00′ 00”
148 Feillu Brice Sojasun + 00′ 00”
149 Dupont Hubert Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 00”
150 Malori Adriano Lampre – Merida + 00′ 00”
151 Meyer Cameron Orica Greenedge + 00′ 00”
152 Malacarne Davide Team Europcar + 00′ 00”
153 Marangoni Alan Cannondale + 00′ 00”
154 Bodnar Maciej Cannondale + 00′ 00”
155 Sagan Peter Cannondale + 00′ 00”
156 Vandborg Brian Cannondale + 00′ 00”
157 Sabatini Fabio Cannondale + 00′ 00”
158 De Marchi Alessandro Cannondale + 00′ 00”
159 de Clercq Bart Lotto-Belisol + 00′ 00”
160 Minard Sébastien Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 00”
161 Irizar Markel Radioshack Leopard + 00′ 00”
162 Bak Lars Ytting Lotto-Belisol + 00′ 00”
163 Contador Alberto Team Saxo-Tinkoff + 00′ 00”
164 Willems Frederik Lotto-Belisol + 00′ 00”
165 Stannard Ian Sky Procycling + 00′ 00”
166 Dennis Rohan Garmin – Sharp + 00′ 00”
167 Tuft Svein Orica Greenedge + 00′ 00”
168 Cimolai Davide Lampre – Merida + 00′ 00”
169 Ferrari Roberto Lampre – Merida + 00′ 00”
170 Favilli Elia Lampre – Merida + 00′ 00”
171 Muravyev Dmitriy Astana Pro Team + 00′ 00”
172 Pineau Jérôme Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 00′ 00”
173 Coppel Jérôme Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 00′ 00”
174 Mori Manuele Lampre – Merida + 00′ 00”
175 Navarro Daniel Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 00′ 00”
176 Perviti Imanol Movistar Team + 00′ 00”
177 Cousin Jérome Team Europcar + 00′ 00”
178 Fischer Murilo Antoniobil Fdj.Fr + 00′ 00”
179 Bono Matteo Lampre – Merida + 00′ 00”
180 Brajkovic Janez Astana Pro Team + 00′ 00”
181 Lutsenko Alexey Astana Pro Team + 00′ 00”
182 Garcia Echeguibel Egoitz Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 00′ 00”
183 Thomas Geraint Sky Procycling + 00′ 00”
184 Klöden Andreas Radioshack Leopard + 00′ 00”
185 Martin Tony Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 00′ 00”
186 Hoogerland Johnny Vacansoleil-Dcm + 00′ 00”
187 Koren Kristijan Cannondale + 00′ 00”
188 Goss Matthew Harley Orica Greenedge + 00′ 00”
189 el Fares Julien Sojasun + 00′ 00”
190 Mollema Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling + 00′ 00”
191 Steegmans Gert Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 00′ 00”
192 Mate Mardones Luis Angel Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 00′ 00”
193 le Mevel Christophe Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 00′ 00”
194 Gallopin Tony Radioshack Leopard + 00′ 00”
195 van Garderen Tejay Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 00”
196 Greipel André Lotto-Belisol + 00′ 00”
197 King Edward Cannondale + 00′ 00”
198 Moinard Amaël Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 00”
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