Tour de France stage 1 Live – Hilly race to Rimini to decide first yellow jersey

Healy had caught Madouas earlier, and now has dropped him on this climb. The Irishman is now third on the road. 

Wilco Kelderman is now taking it up for Visma-Lease a Bike. Might they go in for the kill, and try to eliminate Juan Ayuso from GC contention?

It’s looking good for Bardet for now, who has a lead of a minute over Healy and now 2 minutes on the peloton, and still has his teammate Van den Broek for company. 

They’re on the final climb of the day, the Coté de San Marino. If we’re going to see GC action, or attacks from the peloton to try to catch these breakaway riders, they’re going to have to do so here. 

As for Cavendish, he has been limiting his losses better recently, and is about 20 minutes behind the peloton. Things aren’t looking as perilous for him as earlier. 

At the back of the race, Fabio Jakobsen is now struggling even more than Cavendish. He’s been dropped by the Astana riders, with his teammate Bram Welten waiting up to help. 

Now Visma-Lease a Bike lead the peloton over the summit of the climb, 45 seconds after Healy. It’s not a guarantee that they will being these riders back, especially if they keep going at this pace.

Ben Healy now reaches the top, a minute behind the leaders. 

Bardet reaches the top, and he still has Van den Broek with him. That’ll be of help as he pushes on during the descent to the foot of the next and final climb.

Juan Ayuso is struggling at the back of the peloton! This would explain why UAE have eased off.

40KM TO GO

Madouas has cracked, just over a kilometre from the top. he DSM duo are riding away from him, as are his hopes of being in the polka-dot jersey. 

Visma-Lease a Bike are again leading the peloton up this climb. Whatever plan UAE might have had, they appear to be changing tune now and riding more defensively. 

Now Abrahamsen has to hope that Madouas can’t hang on to the two DSM riders for the rest of this climb, otherwise the Frenchaman may take the polka-dot jersey instead. 

Abrahamsen is done. The pace from Van den Broek is too much for him, and he’s dropped from the lead group. It was an excellent day for him nonetheless.

We assumed EF were working for Bettiol earlier, but it seems their plan was multi-pronged. 

Attack from Ben Healy! The Irishman makes his move just as the peloton starts the climb.

Van den Broek has been put to work immediatley. He’ll bury himself now for Bardet, and stay with him for as long as possible. 

Madouas and Abrahamsen start the next, and day’s penultimate climb, and within seconds have been joined by the two DSM riders.

They now have almost 1-20 on the peloton, too. Bardet is in with a chance!

Bardet and Van den Broek are flying down the descent, and almost with the leading duo. 

The leaders crest the climb, with Madouas taking the points from Abrahamsen. The latter remains in the lead of the KOM virtually. 

Now he’s reached his DSM teammate Van den Broek, who can set the pace for him. This has turned into a very smart ploy by Bardet and his team. 

Gibbons is the next rider Bardet passes on his way towards the top of the climb.

Bardet is also already 40 seconds ahead of the peloton, who clearly aren’t worried about letting him go. 

Bardet is flying up this climb. He’s just passed Mohorič, and is closing down on the leaders, already just 40 seconds behind. 

50KM TO GO

And now Van den Broek has been dropped, leaving just Madouas and Abrahamsen at the front. 

Talking of the break, it’s splitting up on this climb. Gibbons and Mohorič have been dropped by the other three.

An interesting move from the experienced French rider, who’s taking part in his last ever Tour de France. With the break now just 1-15 from the peloton, he might feel he can bridge the gap.

Attack from Romain Bardet!

The peloton doesn’t look like it has much more than 40 riders left in it. 

Now UAE take control again, with Sivakov resuming the pace-setting. 

It’s not UAE leading on the approach to this climb, but rather Ineos Grenadiers and Bora-Hansgrohe. 

The break have started the next climb, Coté de San Leo. It’s a steep one, averaging 7.7% for 4.8km. 

Bike change needed for Richard Carapaz in the peloton. This has been a better start to his Tour so far than last year’s, when he crashed and abandoned on the very first day. 

60KM TO GO

Two minutes between the leading quintet and the peloton, while Cavendish continues to toil a further 17 minutes adrift. 

Here’s EF Education-EasyPost setting the pace in the peloton for Italian national champion Alberto Bettiol to his left, with defending champion Jonas Vingegaard to his right. They’ve since moved over for UAE Team Emirates.  

Ion Izagirre is now back in the peloton, which is now just over minutes away from the break.

Buitrago is part of a group that has rejoined the peloton on the descent, however, along with Pedersen. But with three more climbs to come, he’ll have to recover fast if he’s not to lose time.

Now even outside GC contenders are sturggling – Bahrain Victorious’ leader Santiago Buitrago has been dropped. That’s a surprise, as this terrain seems tailer-made for him.

By taking maximum points Abrahamsen takes over from the dropped Ion Izagirre as the virtual King of the Mountains. Valentin Madouas was second to the summit, meaning he is now third-place virtually. 

More big names out the back of the peloton – Van der Poel and Pedersen. The pace set by UAE on this climb is proving to be too much for many fancied for the stage win.

70KM TO GO

And Abrahamsen takes maximum points. It looked like Van den Broek was going to pip him, after he overtook the Norwegian close to the summit, but he faded at the last push.

Abrahamsen sprints for the mountain points, from far out.

It’s actually Pavel Sivakov who’s leading for UAE, with Marc Soler waiting in the wings. His work is fast bringing the break closer. 

Arnaud De Lie has also been dropped from the peloton with Stevie Williams. This is looking more and more like a stage for the climbers than the puncheurs. 

Huge crowds greeting the break as they continue up the climb, even a kilometres out from the summit. 

Wellens has done his turn, and now it’s the turn of Marc Soler to take over for UAE.

Michael Matthews now dropped out the peloton, another who might have fancied his chances.

Back in the break, Madouas is setting the pace, and Izagirre has surprisingly been dropped as a result. 

Magnus Cort now being dropped, who had been considered an outside shout for the stage win. 

Bad news for David Gaudu, who is slipping out the back of the peloton. He’s been in bad form going into the race, but wouldn’t have expected to suffer this much. His GC hopes might be over already. 

Tim Wellens is the man leading the peloton up the climb for UAE Team Emirates. 

Now UAE Team Emirates take to the front. Is this the beginning of their plan for today?

The pace is slower on the climb, though, the riders more interested in being well-positioned then setting a tempo up it. 

They hit the climb, and it’s Ineos at the front. 

This is the most intense it’s been in the peloton since the breaks were forming at the start of the day. 

And the pace is already up in the peloton as they approach the foot of the climb. Lots of teams want premium position before starting it. 

The leaders are on the climb now, beginning it with a lead of 4-30. That’s still a big gap, but could disslve very quickly once the peloton start riding hard.

80KM TO GO

Just 4km until the start of the next climb, Coté de Barbotto. There’s been a lull in the racing on this long descent, but things should liven up again soon. 

It’s still EF Education-EasyPost leading the peloton, led by Sean Quinn in his snazzy news American national champion jersey.

You can read more about the ongoing sitution with Mark Cavendish here, in what is still shaping out to be the story of the day. 

The Tour has it’s first abandonment – Michele Gazzoli. The Italian was one of the riders with Cavendish, and has clearly been having his own problems. 

90KM TO GO

Just under five minutes between the leaders and the peloton, while the Cavendish group is 10 minutes further down. How Cav handles these final four climbs will be crucial, but things are looking better for him than they were. 

It’s hot out there, and the riders are constantly having to rehydrate. 

100KM TO GO

We’re entering the second half of the stage now, and it’s the hillier half. There’s still some way until the next, about 25km, but with that comes four in quick succession. For now, the gap between the peloton and the six riders remaining in the lead group is four minutes. 

At the back of the race, Cavendish and the Astana riders have some company now as Fabio Jakobsen and his DSM teammate Bram Welten, plus Jonas Rickaert of Alpecin-Deceuninck, drop back. That suggests he’s not suffering uniquely, and should help him survive the day.

We’ve had a first crash on the road today, as Wilco Kelderman hits the deck. The TV cameras didn’t capture the incident, but he’s just been shown now rejoining the peloton, with some bandaging on his left elbow. 

Izagirre launches a sprint towards the top of the summit, and takes maximum points again. Abrahamsen is on his wheel for second, and looks annoyed at the Basque, but it’s hard to tell why – he didn’t appear to do anything wrong. 

110KM TO GO

For minutes at is stands between the leader and the peloton, as they continue making their way up the climb. Cavendish, meanwhile, is over seven minutes adrift from the peloton. 

Pogačar is down a teammate, as Nils Politt is dropped. He has more than enough protection to keep him safe today – in fact, soon we’ll be wondering if and when they will apply pressure at the front of the peloton for a potential attack.

Here’s Mark Cavendish, digging deep and trying to survive. 

More sprinters going out the back now, including Arnaud Demare and Jasper Philipsen. Philipsen may believe it’s job done for the day having earned those intermediate sprint points. 

Mechanical for Dorian Godon, who’ll need to chase back on on this climb. 

More damage in the break, with  Champoussin the latest to be dropped.

Steve Williams is making his way back into the peloton having fallen back with a mechanical. 

Dylan Groenewegen is the latest sprinter to be dropped out of the peloton, on the current climb. He’ll be saving himself for stage three, likely to be the first bunch sprint of the Tour. 

Dujardin has been dropped from the lead group on this climb, having claimed maximum points at the sprint. 

Three other riders also competed in the sprint – Biniam Girmay, Bryan Coquard and Sam Bennett. It’s especially interesting to see Bennett give it a go, given his struggle for form in recent years – he clearly believes he will be stronger this Tour. 

Philipsen and Pedersen were the top two from last year’s points classification, and look set to do battle once again this year.

Lidl-Trek lead out the peloton for the remaining points available in the intermediate sprint, for Mads Pedersen. Pedersen was edged to the line by defending Philipsen, though.

Having done that sprint, the break are back climbing again, this time the category three Cote de Carnaio (10.1km at 4.7%). 

Abrahamsen and Dujardin both sprinted for it, with the latter coming out on top. The real interest will come in a few minutes, when we see which sprinters are interested in the points classification. 

120KM TO GO

The seven leaders are now approaching the intermediate sprint.

Cavendish and his Astana teammates reach the top of the climb, 5 minutes after the peloton. 2 climbs down, 5 to go. 

There’s now about 4-30 between the peloton and Cavendish. The gap is still growing, but not exponentially, so he’s not capitulating yet.

The break reaches the top, and the same riders sprint for it. Izagirre wants again claimed maimum points, ahead of Abrahamsen and then Madouas.

The break is at last done descending, and on the second climb now, Côte des Forche. It’s much shorter than the previous one, lasting only 2.5km, but relatively steep with an average of 6.7%.

130KM TO GO

Michael Mørkøv, Cees Bol, Davide Ballerini and Michele Gazzoli are the four riders with Cavendish. There present as much for emotional support as physical support. 

EF’s work is bad news for Cavendish, though, who is now over three and a half minutes adrift. He faces one of the fights of his life to make the time limit. 

140KM TO GO

4-25 now for the break. EF’s work leading the peloton is keeping them under control.

Vercher has been brought back by the peloton.

Cavendish has just been sick again on the descent. He’s not making any inroads, three minutes adrift from the peloton.

Cavendish is visibly unwell. He vomited on the bike near the top of his summit. He’ll be relieved to be descending again, but desperately needs to recover fast with so many more climbs to come. For now, he looks in a world of pain.

150KM TO GO

Cavendish reaces the top of the climb, 1-30 behind the peloton.

He has four teammates with him trying to encourage him, but is shaking his head and looking bad. He’ll need to find reserves of strength from somewhere or else his Tour is in peril.

Every time the camera goes back to Cavendish, he’ having water poured over him. He’s looking very uncomfortable. 

The peloton now reach the top of the climb. EF’s work has been enough to bring the gap back down from six minutes to five minutes already. 

Here’s a glimpse of the break of the day from earlier. 

Three and a half minutes after the leaders, Vercher crests the climb. It seems there’s no way he’s making it back into that group. 

More sprinters now being dropped out the peloton – Fabio Jakobsen and, more surprisingly, Fernando Gaviria. 

Izagirre took maximum points, from Madouas and Abrahamsen. It wasn’t an all-out sprint, but they’ve still shown intent. 

The break reach the top of the first climb, and there’s a tussle for the KOM points…

They’re working for Alberto Bettiol, the recently-crowned Italian champion. What a story it would be for him to win on home roads in the tricolore.

With the gap having grown to over six minutes, EF Education-EasyPost are the first team to take matters into their own hands and lead the peloton.

Cavendish has his teammates around him, but he’s 25 seconds off the peloton. 

Mark Cavendish has been dropped out the peloton, and is struggling. The way he is dousing himself in water suggests he might be struggling in the heat.

Now that he’s made it into the break at last, Abrahamsen needs keeping an eye on. The Norwegian rider was a livewire last year, attacking multiple times, and has since proven himself a breakaway specialist.

160KM TO GO

The gap between the break and the peloton is continuing to grow, now up to 5-25. That might seem like a lot, but on such hilly terrain as this, it’s still under control.

The third standout name is Valentin Madouas, back in Groupama-FDJ colours having just lost his French national champion title. Unlike the other two, he hasn’t before won a Tour stage, though has come close with a second place finish in 2022. He was eager to get into the break at the start of the day, and will want to make the most of it having succeeded.

The rider in the break with the best climbing credentials is Ion Izagirre. He’s not had the form to be considered a threat on GC, hence being allowed up the road, but should still fancy his chances of dropping the rest of the break come the later climbs.

So who are the riders in the break? The headline name is Matej Mohorič, who last year added a third career Tour stage win to his palmares. This kind of terrain suits him, though you might have expected him to hold back until later in the Tour, when breaks are more likely to succeed, to try his hand at a breakaway.

The pace is really off in the peloton now, allowing the gap to grow to 4-40. Someone in the peloton will have to take control eventually, if they are to bring this break back and contest for the stage, and the race’s first yellow jersey. 

TotalEnergies representative Vercher is being dropped from the break on the climb. The problem for riders from the wildcard teams like them on a day as tough as today is that, even if they succeed in making the break, staying in it is no guarantee.

Gibbons and Abrahamsen have made the juncture, meaning the lead group is now made up of nine riders.

Another image from the start of the day, one of many stunning views of Florence.

The break is climbing for the first time today, taking on the first of seven hills. It’s almost all either uphill or downhill until now and the finish in Rimini.

First sighting of the world champion Mathieu van der Poel, but it’s out the back of the peloton. He’s needing someone to fix his radio.

170KM TO GO

The peloton is now 1-40 adrift from the seven leaders, while the two poursuivants are making progress. They’re now 45 seconds behind the leaders.

Vingegaard is back safely in the peloton.

Abrahamson has Ryan Gibbons on his wheel, and the peloton seems happy to let them go clear.

Bike change for Jonas Vingegaard in the peloton – as a result of a mechanical, not a crash. 

Uno-X Mobility aren’t done yet though – now Abrahamsen tries to get up the road.

The work from Lidl-Trek has brought back the Uno-X Mobility duo. 

Lidl-Trek riders are now pulling in the peloton. That’s an early signal of intent – do they fancy Mads Pedersen to manage to get over the climbs today?

Big crowds at the roadside as the riders pass through Dicomano. The Italians have turned out in numbers to greet the Tour.

Rasmus Tiller and Odd Christian Eiking are the two Uno-X riders. They’re 15 seconds ahead of the peloton, but still 1-20 behind the seven leaders. 

180KM TO GO

You can see the logic in using two riders rather than one, as bridging the gap alone would be too big asn ask. But even now, the 1-30 they’ll need to catch up might be too much. 

Instead, they’ve fired two riders up the road in a counter-attack.

They’re not committing to leading the peloton, either. The pace is off again.

Cort’s brought back, and now one of his Uno-X teammates ups the pace in the peloton. It’s clear the team are unhappy about missing the break, but they seem in mixed minds as to what to do next. 

Magnus Cort jumped out of the peloton, but already seemed to have given up the ghost.

52 seconds now between the peloton and the seven leaders. If anyone wants to bridge, they’re going to have to go now.

There were some riders trying to bridge up to them, Gianni Vermeersch and Jonas Abrahamsen but they’ve been brought back.

The group in full:

Matej Mohorič

Ion Izagirre

Valentin Madouas

Clément Champoussin

Mattéo Vercher

Frank van den Broek

Sandy Dujardin

It’s a strong group, too.  Mohorič, Ion Izagirre and Valentin Madouas are all present. 

47 seconds for this 7-man group – this certainly seems like the day’s break.

The pace has slowed in the peloton – this might be the break of the day.

Wout van Aert has his hand up at the back of the peloton.  He’s taking things easy for now, but could be a contender for the stage later depending on how well recovered he is from his injury. 

190KM TO GO

Seven new riders out front now, and they’re building a lead…

It seems not – a flurry of counter-attacks from the peloton has seen everything come back together again. 

García Pierna now has seven riders with him at the front, and a handful of seconds on the peloton. Could this be the break?

Raúl García Pierna has managed to escape and is out in front alone, with a small group behind him chasing.

Everything is back together again in the peloton. 

Jan Hirt is at the back of the peloton, and already suffering. What an unfortunate start to the Tour for him. 

DSM is the best-represented team in the current leading group, with two riders.

They’re brought back, and a new group of five try their luck, with a Groupama-FDJ rider involved again.

A new group now trying to clear, featuring Paul Lapeira, now very conspicuous in his tricolore jersey as newly crowned French national champion.

That move has been brought back.

A group of about ten now has the biggest gap we’ve seen so far, but even that is only a few seconds.

Even fortmer podium finisher Romain Bardet is getting involved in the attacks! This is far from the usual suspects of wildcard teams and small names trying to get into the break. 

Stefan Küng is also being lively at the front. Groupama-FDJ seem eager to get into the break today, and have their strongest men utilised. 

After a pause of a few moments, the attacks begin, led by Groupama-FDJ’s Valentin Madouas.

205KM TO GO

And they’re off! The 2024 Tour has officially begun. 

A terrible start to the Tour for Jan Hirt, even before the unofficial start. The Czech rider crashed on his way back to the team bus after signing on, breaking three of his teeth. Soudal-QuickStep team will need him to recover, as he’s set to be a key domestique in the mountains for Remco Evenepoel.

Now just 4km until the official start. Sometimes earlier Grand Tour stages can be characterised by how little riders want to get into the break, but the amount of climbing on the menu today, and the prospect of everything from a Polka-dot jersey and fame on such a big occasion, should mean there’s action once the flag drops soon.

Still 10km left of the neutralised zone. The Tour de France is making the most of this unique Grand Départ.

The crowds are out in Florence to greet the Tour de France.

Although there are no climbs ranked higher than category two today, there are a lot of them — seven in total, amounting to 3,600m elevation gain in total. It’s been described as one of the hardest starts to a Tour de France, and one that even many puncheurs will find too hard. 

Make sure to read our more detailed preview of the stage.

Mark Cavendish is in good spirits, waving to the crowd as the peloton sets off from the unofficial start. He’s here riding the fifteenth Tour of his career, and is, as has been much discussed, chasing the record-breaking 35th win.

The riders have just set off from the neutralised zone – the Tour is to begin soon! Not just yet, though, as they will spend longer than usual in the zone than usual as they savour the sights of Florence.

All eyes are on Tadej Pogačar today — as they often are. Given the interrupted preparations for all three of Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič, Pogačar is the favourite for the yellow jersey. And given the uncertainty about the others’ form — especially defending champion Vingegaard’s, whose presence here is borderline miraculous given the crash he suffered in the Basque Country — its anticipated that he will try to strike early, and lay the hammer down on today’s hills.

Unsurprisingly, Florence has made for a beautiful backdrop as the riders are introduced. Here’s world champion Mathieu van der Poel against the backdrop of the Duomo.

Follow our Instagram for on-the-ground updates in Florence and Rimini on our stories:

https://www.instagram.com/cyclingnews_feed/ 

Make sure to check out CN’s mega Grand Départ tech gallery, as shot and put together by our associate editor Josh Croxton, who is on the ground in Italy for the opening 3 stages:

A new Van Rysel bike, unusual tyres, a UCI-illegal helmet, and a million custom paint jobs: Over 80 nerdy tech photos from the Tour de France Grand Départ

Huge reception for World Champion Mathieu van der Poel as he brings the rainbow bands to the Tour de France. 

Just 30 minutes until the départ fictif now in Florence. Reminder that it is absolute scorcher today in Tuscany so temperature regulation will be incredibly important.  

Here’s Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) arriving at the start of stage 1 on his 16th and final Tour de France.

Make sure to catch up with this great read on the importance of the Italian Grand Départ, which honours the hometowns and training roads of Italian greats Gino Bartali, Marco Pantani and Fausto Coppi:

A complicated legacy – Tour de France’s Italian start casts spotlight on Marco Pantani’s tainted glory

Wonderful reception for fan-favourite Mark Cavendish on stage in Florence, a place dear to his heart. He’s here in search of stage win 35.

‘We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t think it was possible to win’ – Mark Cavendish emotional for final Tour de France

Reminder that although it is a punchy day, Mathieu van der Poel doesn’t see it was an option for himself of Jasper Philipsen:

Mathieu van der Poel: Tour de France opening weekend likely ‘too hard’ for me and Jasper Philipsen

Big crowds welcome the first team on stage, TotalEnergies.

Teams have arrived in Florence and are gearing up for sign-on and the team presentation. Here’s Visma-Lease a Bike and defending champion Jonas Vingegaard setting off from their team hotel this morning.

To get things started, make sure to read our preview of stage 1, written by one of CN’s team on the ground at the Grand Départ, Dani Ostanek:

Tour de France 2024 stage 1 preview – Will Tadej Pogačar strike the first blow in Rimini?

It’s back, finally! The biggest bike race in the world is about to start and we’re getting the build-up started an hour and a half before the riders set off from the neutralised start in beautiful Florence. 

Bonjour and welcome to Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 1 of the 111th 2024 Tour de France!