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For the 20th time in history, the Tour de France will be hold its grand depart outside of the host nation. Join The Roar for live commentary of the first stage from 11:00pm AEST.
The city of Leeds, in England, will host the first stage of the 2014 Tour de France as the teams head through Yorkshire in the first two stages of the event.
It is the fourth time the Tour has been in the UK, and the second time the Tour has started in Britain.
This year’s race will start with a normal stage, instead of a prologue, which has been the usual start of the tour since 1967. The first stage, which will go from Leeds to Harrogate, is 190.5 kilometres in length.
Despite having climbs during the stage it is categorised as one that will be dominated by the sprinters. There are three hills, with two category 3 and one category 4 climbs on the way to Harrogate.
The first one, Cray, is at 68 kilometres with the other two – Buttertubs and Grinton Moor – at 103.5 and 129.5 kilometres in the stage. With the final climb completed around 60 kilometres from the finish, it really shouldn’t hamper the sprinters, as they look to start the tour with a win and the yellow jersey.
The sentimental favourite for the stage is British rider Mark Cavendish.
Cavendish, who has won 25 stages at the Tour, would love nothing more than to win the stage on home soil. If he was to win the stage he would also wear the Maillot Jaune at the Tour de France for the first time in his career.
His sprint speed in the last 30 metres is the best of any rider and he is hardly beaten when he is given the perfect lead in by his team.
The bookies favourite though is Marcel Kittel, who has a history of winning the opening stage of the Tour. Last year he won the first stage and wore the yellow jersey for one day. He is every chance to repeat that.
Others to look out for in the stage include Andre Greipel, Peter Sagan and John Degenkolb.
From an Australian perspective the best chance comes from the Australian team in Orica Orica-GreenEDGE. Mark Renshaw is also a potential chance of a surprise, but he will be used as a lead-in rider for fellow sprinter Cavendish.
If Cavendish isn’t around then expect Renshaw to attack for the race win, but that is highly unlikely.
It promises to be a big first stage as the sprinters have their day on the streets of Yorkshire.
Prediction
Mark Cavendish to win in a bunch sprint.
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