LE TOUR: Stage 1 – Brest to Plumelec

Woo Hoo!!!! Le Tour is underway for the 95th time – with one major change; this year Leah and I will be there to see the final seven stages.

Today’s first stage also featured a major change in that it was a full stage instead of the traditional Prologue time trial. This means that the first man across the finish line gets to put on the Golden Fleece.

After a somewhat boring stage – at least on TV - Alejandro VALVERDE sprinted to the win, and donned the Yellow Jersey as the leader of the race. Many experts are pointing to VALVERDE as a candidate to win this years event, though my bets are with Cadel Evans (sixth place in Stage 1).

One the negative side of things, Mauricio Soler of Team Barlo World – last years King Of The Mountain – suffered a fractured wrist in a fall just 9km from the finish line. He finished the stage but lost over three minutes to the leaders. 

Stage 1 GC

1. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa, Caisse d’Epargne) 4.00.36
2. Philippe Gilbert (Bel, Française des Jeux) 0.01
3. Jèrôme Pineau (Fra, Bouygues Telecom) 
4. Kim Kirchen (Lux, Columbia) 
5. Riccardo Riccò (Ita, Saunier Duval)
6. Cadel Evans (Aus, Silence-Lotto) 
7. Frank Schleck (Lux, CSC-Saxo) 
8. Filippo Pozzato (Ita, Liquigas) 
9. Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa, Rabobank) 
10. Oscar Pereiro (Spa, Caisse d’Epargne)