Thibaut Pinot (center) crashed on the last kilometers
Photo: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFPSprint into the yellow: on the last ten kilometers the pace was made. The sprinter trains formed at the front, Peter Sagan and Sam Bennett gave full throttle in the final sprint. But the victory went to an outsider: Alexander Kristoff sprinted past everyone on the right side of the road, heaved his bike over the finish line and won the Grand Départ, the first stage of the Tour de France 2020.
The ratings: "I've always dreamed of wearing the yellow jersey one day, nothing more is possible as a cyclist," said Kristoff after his victory in Nice. On Sunday he leaves Maillot Jaune. World champion Mads Pedersen came second in the sprint and is therefore allowed to wear the green jersey. The dress of the best climber goes to Fabien Grellier. Since tomorrow we are going to the Alps, the Frenchman could be rid of his jersey in 24 hours. Read the stage report here.
Falls, defects, rain: In the area around Nice on the Côte d'Azur, the sun shines 364 days a year. But the peloton got what was apparently the only rainy day. The drivers crept through the slippery curves of the Côte de Rimiez at a snail's pace. Nevertheless, accidents or defects repeatedly occurred in a stressful race, including sprinters Sam Bennett, Caleb Ewan and fan favorite Julian Alaphilippe. Astana rider Ion Izagirre lost control of his bike in a fast descent, crashed into a road sign, but was then able to get on again. About three kilometers from the finish, Thibaut Pinot, one of the favorites for overall victory, also got it. With a torn jersey, the Frenchman then rolled to the finish in a bad mood. Competitor Rafael Valls was unable to complete the stage after the accident.
The new bosses: Team Ineos, the dominator of the past few years, against Team Jumbo-Visma, the challenger - it's the team duel of this year's tour. On the first stage it was immediately clear that Jumbo-Visma with its strong line-up wanted to take the lead in the peloton. Tony Martin led the field in the lead across the wet streets and with outstretched arms urged calm. Top favorite Primoz Roglic even drove up in one descent to warn fast Astana professionals to slow down on the wet roads. However, the team was not free from falls, George Bennett fell down and looked battered. Ineos was also badly affected by falls. The helpers Pavel Sivakov and Andrey Amador went down several times, shaking his head Sivakov went to the tour doctor for treatment.
The escape: Right at the sharp start, three drivers, Cyril Gautier, Michael Schär and Fabien Grellier, pulled away from the field and got ready for a long escape. The peloton kept them on a short leash, the trio got a maximum of three minutes ahead. After all, Schär and his companions could look forward to mountain and sprint points before they were caught again about 60 kilometers from the finish.
Confusion about the tour exclusion: If a driver tests positive for the coronavirus during the tour, he must get off immediately. So far, so easy. But what happens if a team has several positive tests? There has recently been some confusion around this question. At first it was said that if two of the approximately 30 team members, including supervisors, test positive, the team has to get out. On Friday, the UCI, the world cycling association, proposed a relaxation of the rule. But before the Grand Départ on Saturday, Tour boss Christian Prudhomme made it clear again after a conversation with the French government: two positive tests with drivers or supervisors within seven days - then the team is thrown out.
With mask and flag: Tour fans on the roadside
Photo:Jan De Meuleneir / imago images / Panoramic International
The fans: In France, the daily new infections with the corona virus are increasing, most recently more than 7000 cases were registered within 24 hours. It goes without saying that in such a situation special attention is paid to the roadside audience. On television and in photos it was seen that most of the people complied with the request of the tour organizers, wore masks and kept their distance from the drivers. And anyway: There were far fewer spectators on the route than at normal tour stages. That could partly have been due to the weather.
Off to the Alps: It may seem unusual, but the peloton is already heading for the Alps on the second stage on Sunday. Since the starting point Nice is close to the mountains, the route planners insisted on sending the drivers over two mountains of the first category so early. First attacks by the top favorites like Egan Bernal or Roglic on the yellow jersey seem unlikely, but bad form could cost seconds here.
Icon: The mirror