Tour de France 2018 Grand Départ LIVE: Chris Froome crashes as Fernando Gaviria wins stage one latest updates
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Your support makes all the difference.The Tour de France gets under way with a 201km jaunt from Noirmoutier-en-L'Ile in Vendee, scene of this year's Grand Depart, to the stage 1 finish in Fontenay-le-Comte.
Most of the route tracks France's north-west coastline meaning crosswinds could be a factor affecting the peloton, but conditions are warm and calm so we can expect the 176 riders to make it to the end and a bunch sprint to ensue.
Mark Cavendish will have his eye on clinching the yellow jersey for Sunday's stage 2 by winning here but he faces stiff competition from a strong sprint field
Follow all the action below with our live blog:
Prediction
A bunch sprint to be claimed by one of the power riders – we'll pick Marcel Kittel.
How to watch on TV
The race will be shown live on Eurosport and ITV.
Odds
Fernando Gavaria 9/4
Marcel Kittel 9/2
Arnaud Demare 6/1
Cousin wins first intermediate sprint
Peter Sagan was fighting for a record-equalling sixth green jersey but Direct Energie's Jermoe Cousin finished first followed by Kevin Ledanois and Yoann Offredo.
Ouch
Lawson Craddock is being patched up by doctors at the rear of a peloton after a fall.
75m to go
Jerome Cousin, Kevin Ledanois and Yoann Offredo's lead is just 1 minute and 54 seconds as they they pass through with 75m to go. The breakaway group at the front is continuing the extend their lead.
The sprinters are being rewarded for their effort at the front of the back.
Here's the results from the intermediate sprint
- Jerome Cousin - 20 point
- Kevin Ledanois - 17
- Yoann Offredo - 15
- Fernando Gaviria - 13
- Andre Greipel - 11
- Arnaud Demare - 10
- Maciej Bodnar - 9
- Mark Cavendish - 8
- Peter Sagan - 7
- Alexander Kristoff - 6
- Andrea Pasqualon - 5
- Marcel Kittel - 4
- Maximiliano Richeze - 3
- Rick Zabel - 2
- Marcus Burghardt - 1
Boos for Frome and team Sky
There were grumbles off booing at the opening event on Thursday and the bus has just been jeered as it arrives at the end of stage one. Lawrence Ostlere put this together yesterday on the battle Chris Frome faces with the crowds.
60km to go
Jerome Cousins is enjoying his time in Direct Engine's home region Vendee, they were always targeting a dominating performance in this break and it's going vert well so far.
Lawson Craddock is back in action but is suffering from his very visible injuries.
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