Classy Cavendish powers to opening stage win
Mark Cavendish will wear the Tour de France's famed yellow jersey for the first time in his career after winning stage one to Utah Beach.
The Manxman outsprinted Marcel Kittel and Peter Sagan in a frantic finish to the 188km stage from Mont St Michel to claim the 27th Tour victory of his career, but the first on an opening stage.
Cavendish, 31, is third all-time on the list of Tour stage winners, and is now only one behind Bernard Hinault for second place.
Cavendish, riding for Team Dimension Data, was considered an outsider for victory here.
Etixx-QuickStep's Kittel beat him to yellow on the opening stages in 2013 and 2014 - with Cavendish crashing in the latter - while Andre Greipel of Lotto Soudal had the better of him in last year's Tour.
But while those two had powerful leadout trains working for them they failed to get organised in a messy finish.
After a late crash added to the confusion behind, Cavendish blew by world champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) and comfortably finished clear of Kittel, his arms aloft as he savoured what is surely one of the most satisfying of his many Tour stage wins.
The yellow jersey was one of the few missing from his extensive collection - and could be a good omen at the start of a summer he also hopes will end with a first Olympic medal.
Greipel came home fourth, while there was a top 10 finish for British Tour debutant Daniel McLay of Fortuneo-Vital Concept.
A day for the sprinters, the stage also saw a couple of incidents which could have a big bearing on the general classification battle to come.
Around 80km from home, Tinkoff's two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador suffered a nasty fall on the exit to a roundabout, and although he soon got back into the peloton the Spaniard needed extensive treatment on his shoulder.
While Chris Froome finished safely in the pack, Team Sky team-mate Geraint Thomas was among those caught in the late crash.