Mark Cavendish claimed the yellow jersey of the Tour de France for the first time in his career by taking the opening stage in a sprint finish at Utah Beach on Saturday.
The veteran beat out a host of star sprinters, including Marcel Kittel, Andre Greipel, and Peter Sagan.
Alberto Contador took a scary spill halfway through Stage 1, but was able to ride on and finish with the peloton.
Stage 2 is mostly flat, and along the coast, which means viewers can expect speed, agility and a frantic sprint at the end.
The Tour will take place from Jul 2 to 24. This year’s “Grand Boucle” begins in picturesque Normandy before moving south to the Pyrenees, over to the Alps, and back up for its historic finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. There are 21 stages in all.
Stage 1 Results:
1. Mark Cavendish
2. Marcel Kittel
3. Peter Sagan
4. André Greipel
5. Edward Theuns
6. Christophe Laporte
7. Bryan Coquard
8. Alexander Kristoff
9. Daniel McLay
10. 6 riders + 3″
Tour De France Details
Where: 188 km from Saint-Lô to Cherbourg Octeville
When: Sunday, July 3
Time: 7 a.m. Eastern
TV Channel: NBC Sports (USA) with the pre-show beginning at 7:30 a.m.