Tour de France opening stage marred by two crashes

Julian Alaphilippe has won stage one of the 2021 Tour de France but the Grand Départ was marred by two big crashes, the second of which involved Chris Froome.

Fans are seen getting close to the riders during the opening stage of the Tour de France.

Around 20 riders, including four-time champion Chris Froome, lay stricken and needing attention shortly after a first mass fall on the Tour de France opening stage.

Unlike the earlier crash caused by a fan, the second came as the peloton was going around 70kph some 5km from the finish line.

A first fall happened some 45km away from the finish line of stage one of the Tour between Brest and Landerneau.

 

A fan brandishing a sign brought down German rider Tony Martin who was riding near the head of the pack and close to excited roadside spectators. The Jumbo-Visma rider fell, bringing down several fellow peloton members behind him. The crash held up the race for five minutes. German rider Jasha Sutterlin (DSM) was unable to continue.

 

Italian champion Sonny Colbrelli and Dutch rider Wout van Aert, who ran over Martin before falling head over heels, had both been amongst the favourites to win the first stage hilltop finish but were badly delayed.

Welsh Ineos rider Geraint Thomas and defending champion Tadej Pogacar appeared unhurt. However, last year's runner-up Primoz Roglic looked to have fallen heavily.