Kittel wins TDF first stage

Kittel stole in front of Norwegian rider Alexander Kristoff right on the line to win a Tour stage for the first time in his career, while Danny Van Poppel of the Vacansoleil team came in third as all riders were awarded the same time.

Kittel became the first rider to wear the yellow jersey in the 100th Tour, which continues on Sunday with a 156 km second stage across Corsica from Bastia to Ajaccio.

The German, 25, also took the green jersey for the best sprinter and the white jersey for the best young rider.

For long spells, the opening stage was largely uneventful, but there was chaos in a closing 30 kilometres marked by a series of crashes on the narrow roads leading in to Bastia and a bizarre incident involving one of the team buses at the finish line.

The bus of the Orica-GreenEdge team got stuck when it hit the gantry over the finish line as the riders approached, leading to suggestions that the line may be brought forward by three kilometres.

The bus was moved out of the way just in time to allow the first stage to conclude as planned, but not before a clutch of riders were hampered by a series of crashes.

Spain's Alberto Contador, considered by many to be the main challenger to race favourite Chris Froome of Britain, was the highest-profile name to fall on the way in to Bastia, as he went to ground in a mass crash that also took out Slovakia's promising sprinter Peter Sagan.

Froome came through the finish unscathed, but did suffer an inauspicious start to the day when he fell from his bike and appeared totake a knock to the knee as the peloton paraded through Porto-Vecchio at the start of the opening stage.

He was then forced to change bike for the remainder of the day's racing.

Results from the first stage of the Tour de France, a 213km ride from Porto-Vecchio to Bastia on Saturday:

1. Marcel Kittel (GER/ARG) 4hr 56min 52sec

2. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/KAT) at 0:00s

3. Danny van Poppel (NED/VAC) 0:00.

4. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 0:00.

5. Matteo Trentin (ITA/OPQ) 0:00.

6. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/ALM) 0:00.

7. Greg Henderson (NZL/LTB) 0:00.

8. Jrgen Roelandts (BEL/LTB) 0:00.

9. Jos Joaquin Rojas (ESP/MOV) 0:00.

10. Kris Boeckmans (BEL/VAC) 0:00.

11. Daryl Impey (RSA/ORI) 0:00.

12. Sep Vanmarcke (BEL/BLA) 0:00.

13. Julien Simon (FRA/SOJ) 0:00.

14. Nicolas Roche (IRL/SAX) 0:00.

15. Simon Gerrans (AUS/ORI) 0:00.

16. Andre Kashechkin (KAZ/AST) 0:00.

17. Ivan Gutierrez (ESP/MOV) 0:00.

18. Ruben Perez Moreno (ESP/EUS) 0:00.

19. Michael Albasini (SUI/ORI) 0:00.

20. Maarten Wijnants (BEL/BLA) 0:00.

21. Jonathan Hivert (FRA/SOJ) 0:00.

22. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 0:00.

23. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 0:00.

24. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/SKY) 0:00.

25. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 0:00.

26. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/SAX) 0:00.

27. Serguey Lagutin (UZB/VAC) 0:00.

28. Michael Schr (SUI/BMC) 0:00.

29. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL/OPQ) 0:00.

30. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 0:00.

31. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL/LTB) 0:00.

32. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 0:00.

33. Gatis Smukulis (LAT/KAT) 0:00.

34. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/OPQ) 0:00.

35. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 0:00.

36. Simon Clarke (AUS/ORI) 0:00.

37. Peter Velits (SVK/OPQ) 0:00.

38. Christian Vande Velde (USA/GRM) 0:00.

39. Richie Porte (AUS/SKY) 0:00.

40. Pavel Brutt (RUS/KAT) 0:00.

41. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 0:00.

42. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (DEN/AST) 0:00.

43. Marcel Sieberg (GER/LTB) 0:00.

44. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 0:00.

45. Alberto Losada (ESP/KAT) 0:00.

46. Niki Terpstra (NED/OPQ) 0:00.

47. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 0:00.

48. Jan Bakelants (BEL/RSH) 0:00.

49. Tom Veelers (NED/ARG) 0:00.

50. Simon Geschke (GER/ARG) 0:00.

51. Jean-Marc Marino (FRA/SOJ) 0:00.

52. Boy Van Poppel (NED/VAC) 0:00.

53. Koen de Kort (NED/ARG) 0:00.

54. Tom Dumoulin (NED/ARG) 0:00.

55. Pierrick Fedrigo (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.

56. Romain Sicard (FRA/EUS) 0:00.

57. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.

58. Mark Cavendish (GBR/OPQ) 0:00.

59. Mikel Astarloza (ESP/EUS) 0:00.

60. Enrico Gasparotto (ITA/AST) 0:00.

61. David Lopez (ESP/SKY) 0:00.

62. Peter Kennaugh (IDM/SKY) 0:00.

63. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR/SKY) 0:00.

64. Marcus Burghardt (GER/BMC) 0:00.

65. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/EUS) 0:00.

66. Brett Lancaster (AUS/ORI) 0:00.

67. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/RSH) 0:00.

68. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR/SKY) 0:00.

69. Arnold Jeannesson (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.

70. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) 0:00.

71. Eduard Vorganov (RUS/KAT) 0:00.

72. Juan Jose Oroz (ESP/EUS) 0:00.

73. Igor Anton (ESP/EUS) 0:00.

74. Rudy Molard (FRA/COF) 0:00.

75. Adam Hansen (AUS/LTB) 0:00.

76. Maxime Monfort (BEL/RSH) 0:00.

77. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 0:00.

78. Laurent Didier (LUX/RSH) 0:00.

79. Andy Schleck (LUX/RSH) 0:00.

80. Cyril Gautier (FRA/EUC) 0:00.

81. Jon Izagirre (ESP/EUS) 0:00.

82. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 0:00.

83. Alexis Vuillermoz (FRA/SOJ) 0:00.

84. David Veilleux (CAN/EUC) 0:00.

85. Wout Poels (NED/VAC) 0:00.

86. Anthony Delaplace (FRA/SOJ) 0:00.

87. Jos Serpa Perez (COL/LAM) 0:00.

88. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.

89. Mikel Nieve (ESP/EUS) 0:00.

90. Manuel Quinziato (ITA/BMC) 0:00.

91. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 0:00.

92. Alexandre Geniez (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.

93. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM) 0:00.

94. Lars Petter Nordhaug (NOR/BLA) 0:00.

95. Bram Tankink (NED/BLA) 0:00.

96. Benjamin Noval (ESP/SAX) 0:00.

97. Laurens ten Dam (NED/BLA) 0:00.

98. Lieuwe Westra (NED/VAC) 0:00.

99. Yukiya Arashiro (JPN/EUC) 0:00.

100. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (BLR/KAT) 0:00.

101. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 0:00.

102. Robert Gesink (NED/BLA) 0:00.

103. Yohann Gene (FRA/EUC) 0:00.

104. Thomas De Gendt (BEL/VAC) 0:00.

105. Arthur Vichot (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.

106. Kvin Reza (FRA/EUC) 0:00.

107. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 0:00.

108. John Gadret (FRA/ALM) 0:00.

109. John Degenkolb (GER/ARG) 0:00.

110. William Bonnet (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.

111. Andrew Talansky (USA/GRM) 0:00.

112. Tom Danielson (USA/GRM) 0:00.

113. Lars Boom (NED/BLA) 0:00.

114. Maxime Bouet (FRA/ALM) 0:00.

115. Michael Rogers (AUS/SAX) 0:00.

116. Cyril Lemoine (FRA/SOJ) 0:00.

117. Maxime Mederel (FRA/SOJ) 0:00.

118. Roy Curvers (NED/ARG) 0:00.

119. Audrey Amador (CRC/MOV) 0:00.

120. Yury Trofimov (RUS/KAT) 0:00.

121. Jens Voigt (GER/RSH) 0:00.

122. Yoann Bagot (FRA/COF) 0:00.

123. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP/VAC) 0:00.

124. Tom Leezer (NED/BLA) 0:00.

125. Stuart O'Grady (AUS/ORI) 0:00.

126. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/GRM) 0:00.

127. Daniele Bennati (ITA/SAX) 0:00.

128. Sergio Paulinho (POR/SAX) 0:00.

129. Matteo Tosatto (ITA/SAX) 0:00.

130. Jesus Hernandez (ESP/SAX) 0:00.

131. Rubn Plaza (ESP/MOV) 0:00.

132. Rui Costa (POR/MOV) 0:00.

133. Jeremy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.

134. Daniel Moreno (ESP/KAT) 0:00.

135. Juan Jos Lobato (ESP/EUS) 0:00.

136. Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE/AST) 0:00.

137. Francesco Gavazzi (ITA/AST) 0:00.

138. Guillaume Levarlet (FRA/COF) 0:00.

139. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/BMC) 0:00.

140. Brent Bookwalter (USA/BMC) 0:00.

141. Steve Morabito (SUI/BMC) 0:00.

142. Jack Bauer (NZL/GRM) 0:00.

143. Moreno Moser (ITA/CAN) 0:00.

144. Johannes Frhlinger (GER/ARG) 0:00.

145. Albert Timmer (NED/ARG) 0:00.

146. Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP/MOV) 0:00.

147. Assan Bazayev (KAZ/AST) 0:00.

148. Brice Feillu (FRA/SOJ) 0:00.

149. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 0:00.

150. Adriano Malori (ITA/LAM) 0:00.

151. Cameron Meyer (AUS/ORI) 0:00.

152. Davide Malacarne (ITA/EUC) 0:00.

153. Alan Marangoni (ITA/CAN) 0:00.

154. Maciej Bodnar (POL/CAN) 0:00.

155. Peter Sagan (SVK/CAN) 0:00.

156. Brian Vandborg (DEN/CAN) 0:00.

157. Fabio Sabatini (ITA/CAN) 0:00.

158. Alessandro De Marchi (ITA/CAN) 0:00.

159. Bart De Clercq (BEL/LTB) 0:00.

160. Sbastien Minard (FRA/ALM) 0:00.

161. Markel Irizar (ESP/RSH) 0:00.

162. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN/LTB) 0:00.

163. Alberto Contador (ESP/SAX) 0:00.

164. Frederik Willems (BEL/LTB) 0:00.

165. Ian Stannard (ENG/SKY) 0:00.

166. Rohan Dennis (AUS/GRM) 0:00.

167. Svein Tuft (CAN/ORI) 0:00.

168. Davide Cimolai (ITA/LAM) 0:00.

169. Roberto Ferrari (ITA/LAM) 0:00.

170. Elia Favilli (ITA/LAM) 0:00.

171. Dmitry Muravyev (KAZ/AST) 0:00.

172. Jrme Pineau (FRA/OPQ) 0:00.

173. Jrome Coppel (FRA/COF) 0:00.

174. Manuele Mori (ITA/LAM) 0:00.

175. Daniel Navarro (ESP/COF) 0:00.

176. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 0:00.

177. Jrme Cousin (FRA/EUC) 0:00.

178. Murilo Fischer (BRA/FDJ) 0:00.

179. Matteo Bono (ITA/LAM) 0:00.

180. Janez Brajkovic (SLO/AST) 0:00.

181. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ/AST) 0:00.

182. Egoitz Garca (ESP/COF) 0:00.

183. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 0:00.

184. Andreas Kloden (GER/RSH) 0:00.

185. Tony Martin (GER/OPQ) 0:00.

186. Johnny Hoogerland (NED/VAC) 0:00.

187. Kristjan Koren (SLO/CAN) 0:00.

188. Matthew Goss (AUS/ORI) 0:00.

189. Julien El Fars (FRA/SOJ) 0:00.

190. Bauke Mollema (NED/BLA) 0:00.

191. Gert Steegmans (BEL/OPQ) 0:00.

192. Luis ngel Mat (ESP/COF) 0:00.

193. Christophe Le Mevel (FRA/COF) 0:00.

194. Tony Gallopin (FRA/RSH) 0:00.

195. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) 0:00.

196. Andr Greipel (GER/LTB) 0:00.

197. Edward King (USA/CAN) 0:00.

198. Amal Moinard (FRA/BMC) 0:00.