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
Average speed
Three hours into the stage and the average speed is still 44.9km/h. The leading three have covered 45.4km in the third hour. Incredible speed.
50km to go
Jerome Cousin, Kevin Ledanois and Yoann Offredo's lead at the front is 1'50" with less than 50km to go.
44m to go
The breakaway lead is decreasing with every kilometer covered. The trio's lead is now just 1'32".
40km to go
Well that was close! The front three had to dramatically dodge a dog which made it's way onto the road! Jerome Cousin was far from happy with that. The lead is 1'14" with 40km to go.
35km to go
The breakaway of Jerome Cousin, Kevin Ledanois and Yoann Offred have a lead of 1'12" but are beginning to slow up.
Allez Les Bleus
The peloton passes past a large banner (bed sheet) with 'Allez Les Bleus' scribbled across it. France beat Uruguay in yesterday's World Cup quarter-final and it's over to England this afternoon to beat Sweden.
30km to go
Just 45" separates the front three and the rest of the pack as we begin to enter a steeper section of the stage.
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