Team Sky rider finishes almost a minute behind stage winner Fernando Gaviria as Nairo Quintana also loses time
Saturday 7 July 2018 16:48, UK
Chris Froome crashed in a chaotic finale to the opening stage of the Tour de France as Colombian sprinter Fernando Gaviria won the stage in Fontenay-le-Comte.
Froome was forced off the edge of the road a little over five kilometres from the end, and the four-time winner crossed the line almost a minute after Gaviria.
Fellow General Classification contender Nairo Quintana also lost time after suffering a mechanical problem close to the end.
The riders set off from Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile in the morning and for 190km the stage was fairly sedate - but that all changed a little over 10km from the finish line.
First French sprinter Arnaud Demare saw his hopes of a stage win end in a tumble, then Team Sky's Egan Bernal, the youngest rider in the race at 21, slid off the side of the road in another incident.
Froome was the next to go, sent hurtling into a field as the road turned to the left.
The defending champion was quickly back on his bike but he could not get back on to the main group, as the sprint trains put down the power at the front.
As Froome chased back, he passed Quintana waiting for help with a mechanical issue, the 2013 and 2015 runner-up also caught up in the chaos as the peloton split into pieces.
Up ahead, Gaviria confirmed he could be the sprinter to beat at this year's Tour, producing a power-packed finish to deny world champion Peter Sagan.
Gaviria became the first rider to win his first ever Tour de France stage since Fabian Cancellara in 2004.
Froome finished 51 seconds behind Gaviria, in a group which also included Mitchelton-Scott's Adam Yates and BMC's Richie Porte, while Quintana came home alongside Bernal, 75 seconds down.
Froome and Quintana, therefore, have ground to make up on those General Classification hopefuls who avoided trouble, with Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates), Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors), Mikel Landa and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) all in the front group, as was Froome's team-mate Geraint Thomas.
Froome said: "I saw a lot of crashes out there today. It's just one of those things.
"We always knew the first few days were going to be tricky and going to be sketchy. It's part of the game unfortunately.
"We were right at the front part of the peloton in the top third. There wasn't too much more the guys could have done. It was getting quite chaotic with some of the sprinters there, but that's bike racing.
"I'm just grateful I'm not injured in any way and there's a lot of road to cover before Paris obviously."
Stage one result:
1. Fernando Gaviria (Col/Quick-Step Floors) 4hrs 23mins 32secs
2. Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe) - same time
3. Marcel Kittel (Ger/Katusha-Alpecin) - same time
4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/UAE Team Emirates) - same time
5. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis) - same time
6. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned/LottoNL-Jumbo) - same time
7. Michael Matthews (Aus/Team Sunweb) - same time
8. John Degenkolb (Ger/Trek-Segafredo) - same time
9. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana) - same time
10. Rafal Majka (Pol/Bora-Hansgrohe) - same time
General classification:
1. Fernando Gaviria (Col/Quick-Step Floors) 4hrs 23mins 32secs
2. Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe) +4secs
3. Marcel Kittel (Ger/Katusha-Alpecin) +6secs
4. Oliver Naesen (Bel/AG2R La Mondiale) +9secs
5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/UAE Team Emirates) +10secs
6. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis) - same time
7. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned/LottoNL-Jumbo) - same time
8. Michael Matthews (Aus/Team Sunweb) - same time
9. John Degenkolb (Ger/Trek-Segafredo) - same time
10. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana) - same time
