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In a ditch, Chris Froome had to pull himself up and put his bike back on the road.
It was a startling scene when the Team Sky rider fell a grassy field in the first phase of the Tour de France on Saturday, immediately putting his quest for a fifth record title in jeopardy.
Froome, however, is accustomed to this kind of mishaps and challenges – that means "I've seen a lot of accidents today, it's just a of these things, we always knew that the first days would be difficult and difficult. "Froome, who left with about five kilometers to go before the sprinters' teams made up their minds.
With grass stains on his right shoulder and blood flowing down his right arm An elbow nick, Froome climbed back and crossed 51 seconds behind Fernando Gaviria, t The Colombian who won the first yellow jersey of the race with an awesome sprint win.
"I'm just grateful for not to be hurt and there is a long way to go before Paris obviously, "said Froome.] External Link:
Tweet The Tour de France UK: Chris Froome's Crash seen from inside the bunch. Fortunately, the defending champion has returned to his bike! # TDF2018
When fans on arrival were informed of the Froome crash, many applauded. Froome, who was whitened from doping in an asthma drug case Monday, was also booed at Thursday's team presentations.
Froome was fortunate not to do more damage by avoiding a post nearly 50 km / h.
The Kenyan born British rider also crashed on the first day of the Giro d'Italia in May, while he was preparing for the first leg of the championship. But Froome finally climbed up the rankings to win the Giro – his third consecutive Grand Tour title.
Froome now aims to join Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain as the only riders to have won the Tour five times
Richie Porte and Adam Yates, two contenders in the general classification, were also caught in the group Froome. And in what was supposed to be a calm day for the favorites, Nairo Quintana, twice runner-up, lost 1:10 when both of his tires were broken.
Pre-race favorites who finished safe with the main pack included The 2014 champion Vincenzo Nibali, Tom Dumoulin, Geraint Thomas, Mikel Landa, Alejandro Valverde and Dan Martin.
"It's a tough end and just the typical fight between the sprinters and guys from the GC, everyone wants to be at the forefront of the 3K brand," said Nicolas Portal, Sky's sports director. "It's the normal tension that is slightly higher than the other Grand Tours."
When the overall or general contenders reach the brand's three-kilometer mark, they can relax because from the results are neutralized
Gaviria, the Quick-Step driver making his Tour debut, easily defeated world champion Peter Sagan and Marcel Kittel on the line.
"The yellow jersey is the one everyone dreams of wearing and doing it on the first day is amazing," said Gaviria.
Gaviria needs 4 hours and 23 minutes to complete the 201 km stage of the island of Noirmoutier-en-l Ile on the Atlantic coast at Fontenay-le-Comte [19659005] The 23-year-old athlete won four stages last year at the Giro d'Italia and is at the height of his Froome following Gaviria by 1:01 in 91st position
Fans have come in large numbers for the 105th edition of the biggest cycling race, standing near the first place. The peloton passes a field of sunflowers during the first stage of the Tour de France 2018. "title =" The peloton passes a field of sunflowers on the stage of the Tour de France "width =" 700 "height =" 467 "/ >
Photo:
The road was scenic, but the peloton did not have time to enjoy it. (AP: Christopher Ena)
