![Mark Cavendish – Mark Cavendish struggles in Tour de France's opening stage after vomiting from bike](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/cycling/2024/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000383826946_17196875718190_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqwIsd6DRxk1vdEACp6RDtMIORiNDUHxRrwQCRFSLKbiE.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Mark Cavendish struggles in Tour de France’s opening stage after vomiting from bike
![Mark Cavendish – Mark Cavendish struggles in Tour de France's opening stage after vomiting from bike](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/cycling/2024/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000383826946_17196875718190_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqwIsd6DRxk1vdEACp6RDtMIORiNDUHxRrwQCRFSLKbiE.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Mark Cavendish denied he had been in serious danger of missing the time cut on a brutal but thrilling first stage of the Tour de France on Saturday. The Manx rider, who was dropped on the opening climb of the day, was seen vomiting from his bike at one stage in searing 35C heat after the race rolled out of Florence. But after crossing the finish line along with the rest of the grupetto, 39 mins down on stage winner Romain Bardet, Cavendish insisted he and his team always “knew what they were doing”.
A sensational first stage, which included 3600m of climbing, a record for an opening day, was eventually won by Bardet (DSM-firmenich PostNL) who took the first yellow jersey of his career at the age of 33 thanks to a daring attack off the front of the peloton from 50km out, on the the Côte de San Leo. Bardet caught up to his teammate, Frank Van Den Broek, who had been in the day’s breakaway, and together they managed to maintain a one and a half minute lead over the peloton on the descent.
By the time the race arrived in Rimini, on the Adriatic coast, that lead was down to a handful of seconds – just 10 as the front pair went under the flamme rouge. It proved just enough. Wout van Aert [Visma-Lease a Bike] led the bunch over the line five seconds behind the duo, taking the last of the bonus seconds, with race favourite Tadej Pogacar [UAE TEam Emirates] fourth.
The rest of the GC contenders and stage one hopefuls, riders such as Tom Pidcock [Ineos Grenadiers] and Mads Pedersen [Lidl-Trek] were awarded the same time. Pidcock said afterwards that he “did not want to make excuses” but that he had been feeling rough on Friday, and was just pleased to have made it to the finish in the front group.
![Wout van Aert (L) – Mark Cavendish struggles in Tour de France's opening stage after vomiting from bike](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/cycling/2024/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000383824664_17196891713780_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf0Rf_Wk3V23H2268P_XkPxc.jpeg?imwidth=350)
It took nearly 40 minutes for Cavendish to appear. But the Manx rider, who has postponed his retirement for one last crack at the outright Tour stage record, looked far from panicky as he made his way to the bus, speaking to the waiting media before jumping into a team minivan for a revitalising ice bath.
Asked whether he had been suffering with illness at the start, Cavendish replied: “No. It was just the heat [which caused him to vomit]. Look, we know what we’re doing. It’s not easy. Like, I always say, if you’ve got my body type, don’t start cycling, because them days are gone. But we know what we’re doing. It doesn’t mean it’s easy. We’re not riding around talking.
“That was so hard. So hard. But we had a plan and we stuck to it. Okay, it didn’t go exactly as we wanted. We would have liked to have done one more climb with the peloton. But the start was so hot. But we made it around ok.”
Asked whether he ever felt in danger of getting close to the 48 minute time cut, Cavendish shook his head. “We don’t go easy,” he said. “But you can work out what the front guys are going to do, and then work out what you need to do to get inside the limit. It’s a bit boring but that’s the way cycling has gone.
“We kind of know [how to judge it]. It makes a nice story if you’re close to the time. But the time limit is not really there to hook people out of the race. It’s there for if people are sick and can’t carry on. I know it makes a nice story, but we kind of had it [in hand].”
Whether Cavendish – who did lose one domestique, Michele Gazzoli, to the heat – was putting a brave face on it, time will tell. Sunday’s second stage, which starts in the seaside town of Cesenatico, once the home town of Il Pirata Marco Pantani, is another tough one, featuring six categorised climbs before it reaches Bologna. The first sprint of the race is due to take place on Monday into Turin.
The day, though, belonged to Bardet, who was hugely emotional at the finish. “In cycling there are still unexpected moments,” he reflected. “It’s sublime. I came to this Tour with a different state of mind. I went on instinct when I attacked. I saw a lot of riders suffering and I knew I could count on Frank who was in front. He deserves this victory as much as me. At worst I would lose 20 minutes if it didn’t work, but I’m no longer here to fight for GC.
“The yellow jersey was one of my career dreams. Finally it has happened.”
Cavendish hindered by health during opening stage: as it happened
One of the strangest stages in memory
Just spoken to Pidcock who said he didn’t want to make excuses but he wasn’t feeling well yesterday and was worried he wouldn’t make it today. Given that, he was delighted to have stayed with the front group. Said it was one of the strangest stages he can remember. So hot, no one taking it up. And when they did, they didn’t have the legs due to heat.
A look at the top 10
1. Bardet (DSM-Firmenich PostNL)
2. Van Den Broek (DSM-Firmenich PostNL)
3. Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)
4. Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
5. Van Gils (Lotto Dstny)
6. Aranburu (Movistar)
7. Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
8. Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step)
9. Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious)
10. Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost)
27km to go
Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) has left Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) behind, but he can’t seem to gain any time on the leaders.
In the peloton things are heating up. Ineos Grenadiers, Visma-Lease a Bike and Lidl-Trek are all working hard together to try and chase down the DSM-Firmenich PostNL duo.
30km to go
As they climb the Côte de San Marino, the leading duo sit two minutes ahead of the peloton, and one minute ahead of the chasers. If the DSM-Firmenich PostNL duo can hold everyone off, Bardet could wear the yellow for the first time in his career.
![Van Den Broek and Bardet leading the race](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/cycling/2024/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000383817906_17196748799750_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq_JZS6ga0LOK_aFdaMhTiTJzhuxyCbjZh9KEaFwWVvZI.jpeg?imwidth=350)
Peloton suffering so much raises concerns
Have spoken to a source at Astana who assures me Cavendish is suffering from heat stroke, rather than illness. Seeing the peloton suffer so much on stage 1 is going to raise questions for ASO about today’s parcours, the most vertical elevation ever on day one of the Tour. Also about the future of the Tour in the month of July. Will they have to move it long-term as temperatures rise?
49km to go
The breakaway riders are struggling on this climb, and their group is splintering. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) is the first dropped, and Romain Bardet (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) passes him with ease. He eyes up his next target in Ryan Gibbons (Lidl-Trek).
![Bardet attacks off the peloton](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/cycling/2024/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000383816680_17196743238920_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqA7N2CxnJWnYI3tCbVBgu9T0aesusvN1TE7a0ddd_esI.jpeg?imwidth=350)
58km to go
A look at the King of the Mountains provisional standings:
1. Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) - 10 points
2. Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) - Eight points
3. Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) - Six points
4. Frank Van Den Broek (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) - Three points
5. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) - One point
88km to go
EF Education-EasyPost have taken over from Visma-Lease a Bike at the front of the peloton. While the first rider to abandon from the Tour this year is Mark Cavendish’s Astana Qazaqstan teammate Michele Gazzoli - he becomes only the second rider to abandon during the first stage of his debut Tour, this century.
![Gazzoli riding alongside Cavendish earlier in today's stage](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/cycling/2024/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000383800565_17196687843560_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf_4Xpit_DMGvdp2n7FDd82k.jpeg?imwidth=350)
104km to go
A grupetto has now formed, with Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) having joined, Fabio Jakobsen (DSM-Firmenich PostNL), Jonas Rickaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Bram Welten (DSM-Firmenich PostNL).
Mark Renshaw on Sporza: “Mark Cavendish is not sick. It’s a very hard stage because of heat and that’s the problem. He hopes to catch riders in front and be on time.”
107km to go
With two points going to Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) on the Côte de Carnaio, and one point going to Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility), this is how the virtual King of the Mountains competition looks:
1. Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) - Eight points
2. Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) - Five points
3. Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) - Three points
4. Frank Van Den Broek (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) - One point
112km to go
As the breakaway head up the Côte de Carnaio, the third categorised climb of the day, Clément Champoussin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) is dropped off from the group.
Six men remain: Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Ion Izagirre (Cofidis), Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Frank Van Den Broek (DSM-Firmenich PostNL), Ryan Gibbons (Lidl-Trek) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility).
Can tell you it’s blinking hot
All the talk around buses this morning was about whether Pogacar will attack on day one. Most felt he wouldn’t be able to help himself. Can tell you it’s blinking hot. 33C out on the course as of now. I drove the first 44km of the race route as we heard there was traffic on the public road out of Florence, and then dived off to get on to the hors course route as I want to reach the finish in time to see whether race explodes. Just listened to Lance Armstrong’s Tour preview podcast and there was a very interesting segment from Johan Bruyneel about Pogacar’s form, saying he had spoken to someone at UAE who told him Pog had lost 1.5kgs since the Giro and was putting out 10-15 watts more. They all reckoned he would kill this race, though Bruyneel did add he felt he should be reined in by his own team as he was his own worst enemy and could tire in week 3 given he has the Giro in his legs.
185km to go
The group has managed to get 55 seconds away from the peloton.
The riders in the breakaway are: Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Ion Izagirre (Cofidis), Clément Champoussin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Frank Van Den Broek (DSM-Firmenich PostNL), Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies) and Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies).
Lidl-Trek at the front of the roll-out
![The peloton crosses the Ponte Vecchio in the roll-out](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/cycling/2024/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000383791771_17196640686970_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqoQs0bxrJ0VMctHYmJMv0P3cBYTXaUwLzp8zBYphQWkg.jpeg?imwidth=350)
Even though we are still in the roll-out, Lidl-Trek have positioned a number of their riders near the front of the peloton. Could they be looking to do something today with Mads Pedersen?
Pogacar’s double
After a dominant Giro d’Italia, Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) is targeting the first Giro-Tour double since Marco Pantani in 1998. Fittingly, the race will head through where the Italian used to train tomorrow.
Brits in this year’s Tour
Alongside Pidcock, 10 other Brits are taking to the start line today.
This list includes British cycling legend Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan), who is seeking out his 35th stage win, and previous winner Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers).
![Cavendish with fans before the race kicks off](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/cycling/2024/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000383782261_17196551080590_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf_4Xpit_DMGvdp2n7FDd82k.jpeg?imwidth=350)
Today’s stage profile
After a flat start, the riders tackle the Colle de Valico Tre Faggi (12.5 km at 5.1%), Côte des Forges (2.5 km at 6.2%), Côte de Carnaio (10.5 km at 4.6%), Côte de Barbotto (5.8 km at 7.6%), Côte de San Leo (4.6 km at 7.7%), Côte de Montemaggio (4.2 km at 6.6%), and the Côte de San Marino (7.1 km at 4.8%). From the top of that last climb, it’s 27 km km to the finish. There will also be an intermediate sprint at km 86.6
Who is vying for the maillot jaune?
There are four widely accepted favourites for this year’s Tour de France: Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease A Bike), Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) and Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). However, a crash in the Tour of the Basque country involving Vingegaard, Roglic and Evenepoel means that the three riders do not go into the race in ideal conditions. The crash left the defending champion Vingegaard, with a broken collarbone and several broken ribs. He hasn’t raced since the crash, but he has been in training, with his team coach recently saying: “He’s ok, and he’s really motivated. For sure we think he will be competitive, but there are still too many insecurities to say he’s ready to win.”
These conditions have made Pogacar the out-and-out favourite for many, however, with the potential fatigue hangover he faces from his recent victory at the Giro d’Italia, this Tour provides the best chance for a dark horse winner we have seen in recent years. Keep your eye on Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates), Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers), Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike), Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla), Enric Mas (Movistar), Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) as the race progresses.
The 2024 Tour de France is here!
Today marks the 111th edition of the biggest event on the cycling calendar. This year’s race will see the riders cover 3498km in total, as well as riding through four separate countries - Italy, San Marino, France and Monaco.
Today’s stage is also the first ever time the Tour has started in Italy. The Grand Depart will begin on the banks of the Arno River in Florence, before heading through Tuscany and finishing on the Adriatic coast. The ride will also see the riders enter into San Marino, which will become the Tour’s 13th country.
A unique opening stage, today’s 206km race is the most hilly first stage in the race’s history, with 3600m of climbing. In fact, stage one is indicative of this year’s Tour on the whole, which looks to be more hilly and climbing-oriented than we have seen in previous years. “It’s so hard. I am actually in a bit of shock,” said Mark Cavendish when finding out about the mountainous profile of this year’s race. “It might be the hardest route I’ve ever seen at the Tour de France.”
Amongst the hopefuls for today’s stage is Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), who spoke of targeting the stage as his first goal of this year’s Tour. “It’s kind of what I’ve been dreaming of this last month when I’ve been training hard,” he said. “There’s a lot of guys who will already be having the same dream so it’s not going to be easy, but we’re going to give it a good shot.”
He will not be alone in targeting this stage however, as many riders will be keen to get off the mark and wear the yellow jersey tomorrow. A few other potential favourites to look out for are: Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step), Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny), Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost).
An exciting stage with plenty of climbing involved, get ready for a thrilling opener!