Thomas Shines in the Rain at Dusseldorf
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Geraint Thomas becomes the first ever Welshman to wear the Tour de France Yellow Jersey.
In a rain drenched first stage of the Tour de France, it proved an historic moment. Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas became the first Welshman in the races history to don the yellow jersey, in the stage one 14km time trial. The winning time of 16:04 was chased by the top riders who followed Thomas but with the course, being slippery and dangerous on the turns, found difficult to better.
Alejandro Valverde, Movistar team’s Spanish rider, received what is believed to be a fractured knee cap, after running at speed into the roadside barrier.
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Thomas, was forced to sit and wait in the famous hot-seat as rider after rider finished.
Favourite to take the yellow jersey was World Champion Tony Martin of Germany, a member of the Katusha team, only managed fourth position.
Switzerland’s Stefan Kung of BMC Racing Team took second place a full five seconds behind the winning rider.
Last year’s winner of the Tour, Britain and Team Sky’s Chris Froome, was twelve seconds behind his team mate Thomas, in sixth.
The First Ten places, were as follows.
1 Geraint Thomas (Great Britain) Team Sky 00:16:04
2 Stefan Kung (Switzerland) BMC Racing Team + :05
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3 Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) Team Sky + :07
4 Tony Martin (Germany) Katusha-Alpecin + :08
5 Matteo Trentin (Italy) Quick Step Floors + :10
6 Chris Froome (Great Britain) Team Sky + :12
7 Jos Van Emden (Netherlands) Team LottoNI-Jumbo + :15
8 Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) Team Sky + :16
9 Marcel Kittel (Germany) Quick Step Floors + :16
10 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Netherlands) Dimension Data + :17
Sunday, second stage, 201.2Km, from Dusseldorf to Liege, begins at 12.30pm local time.
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