Sean Flynn is one of 11 British riders in today's peloton. They include freshly-minted Giro d'Italia champion Simon Yates, riding in support in Jonas Vingegaard, while his twin brother Adam Yates is supporting Tadej Pogacar.

While Geraint Thomas waves goodbye, younger riders like Fred Wright, Oscar Onley and Lewis Askey will seek their breakaway opportunities.

Jake Stewart lines up for his second shot at La Grand Boucle while Israel-Premier Tech team-mate Joe Blackmore makes his debut, along with Flynn.

Connor Swift and new British champion Sam Watson have joined Thomas in the Ineos Grenadiers squad.

Time-trial specialist Filippo Ganna is part of the eight-man line-up for British team Ineos Grenadiers.

Carlos Rodriguez will again be the team's leader after claiming a top-seven GC finish in the past two editions, while 2018 Tour winner Geraint Thomas will bring plenty of experience to 14th and final Tour.

There are two other Britons on the team, Connor Swift and the newly-crowned national road champion Sam Watson, with the latter making his Tour debut.

Norwegian time trial champion Tobias Foss, Dutch rider Thymen Arensman and Axel Laurance of France complete the Ineos line-up.

Image source, EPA

Ouch! - Ganna & Flynn go downpublished at 132km to go

132km to go

Ineos Grenadiers rider Filippo Ganna and Picnic PostNL's British debutant Sean Flynn both hit the deck as the peloton turns right at a T-junction.

Ganna seems to have come off worst and is taking his time to regroup before getting back on his bike.

There are four different jerseys used to differentiate the classifications at the Tour de France.

These are yellow, green, polka-dot and white and are handed out at the end of each stage with the leader in each category wearing it during the next stage.

The yellow jersey is worn by the general classification leader, green by points classification leader, polka-dot by the mountains classification leader and white by the best young rider.

The point Benjamin Thomas has just bagged means that, as it stands, he'll be wearing polka dots tomorrow.

Bruno Armirail attacks early on the ascent of Cote de Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, but Cofidis rider Benjamin Thomas fights back to beat Matteo Vercher for the first King of the Mountain point of this year's Tour.

The breakaway has hit the first climb of the day, with the first King of the Mountain point of this year's Tour on offer.

Tadej Pogacar, Biniam Girmay and Jasper Philipsen were the only riders to claim multiple stage wins during last year's Tour.

Pogacar became the first rider to win six stages in a single edition since Mark Cavendish in 2009.

The five-man breakaway now has a two-minute lead over the peloton.

Crosswinds are playing a factor out on the flat, open roads surrounding Lille.

Biniam Girmay says he is feeling the pressure of being the sole African on the start line for the 2025 Tour de France.

The 25-year-old from Eritrea won three stages on the 2024 Tour to claim the green jersey for winning the points classification. However, today he could realistically find himself draped in yellow.

"I'm the only one, it's a lot of pressure but it's such a pleasure to represent my country and my continent," said the softly-spoken Girmay.

"But first for myself and for my family, it would be such a pleasure to win the first stage and get the yellow jersey."

Girmay and sprint rival Jasper Philipsen both warned that the stage could prove to be a frantic affair.

"I'm aware of the danger on the opening stage, if you fall here it ruins all three weeks," Girmay said at Lille's Opera House ahead of a parade around the city.

Image source, Getty Images

Jasper Philipsen's main challengers for the stage win are expected to be Biniam Girmay, Tim Merlier and Jonathan Milan.

Girmay became the first black African to win a Tour stage last year and added two more to finish with the green jersey.

Merlier is the defending European road champion and won five Grand Tour stage wins, while Milan is making his Tour debut having twice won the green jersey at the Giro d'Italia.

Image source, EPA

Jasper Philipsen claimed his first stage win in 2022 before claiming four in the following year's edition.

The 27-year-old Belgian has the opportunity to hit double figures today.

Jonas Rutsch (Intermarche-Wanty), Mathis Le Berre (Arkea-B&B Hotels), Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) and Matteo Vercher (Total Energies) have set off up the road to form a five-man breakaway.

Image source, EPA

Jasper Philipsen has been the best sprinter in the Tour de France over the past three years, claiming nine stage wins plus the green jersey for points classification in 2023.

The Belgian rider is expected to be challenging for the stage win later and his Alpecin-Deceuninck team is already setting the pace right at the front of the peloton.

The peloton has headed out of the city limits. They'll be back in Lille later for what's expected to be a bunch finish on the Boulevard Vauban.

Image source, EPA

Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar is pleased to be the man to beat as racing gets under way in Lille. The 26-year-old world champion is looking for a fourth Tour de France crown.

"It's been a great season, so far perfect, and going here to the Tour as one of the favourites, it's an honour," said Pogacar. "I'm pleased and I hope I can live up to the expectations."

Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard is expected to be Pogacar’s strongest rival over the three weeks of racing.

"The last five years were quite intense between me and Jonas," Pogacar added. "It's great competition, rivalry, and I think this year is more or less the same as the last couple of years. I'm looking forward to racing against Jonas again. I think he's in great shape."

The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider showcased his form last month by claiming three stage wins and overall victory at the Criterium du Dauphine, finishing 59 seconds ahead of Vingegaard.

However, Pogacar reckons the opening week is just about staying on his bike and not making mistakes before the GC contenders get to work in the mountains from stage 10, onwards.

"As always, the first week of the Tour is one of the most intense, nervous weeks," he added.

"You can quite easily lose the Tour de France in the first 10 days until the first rest day. I don't think my goal should be to aim to gain time for the first week, you just need to take care and not screw it up the whole tour... without any bad luck and some sort of incidents to survive the first week."

And we are off!!

Image source, Reuters

If Jonas Vingegaard is to claim a third Tour win, much will depend on his support squad, and Visma-Lease a Bike have named a strong line-up.

The 28-year-old Dane will be assisted in the mountains by fellow Grand Tour winners Sepp Kuss and Simon Yates, while super-domestique Matteo Jorgenson is seen as a back-up option for GC.

Help on the flat will come from Victor Campenaerts, Tiesj Benoot and Tour debutant Edoardo Affini, along with versatile star Wout van Aert.

The nine-time Tour stage winner played a vital role in Vingegaard’s Tour wins of 2022 and 2023, and was back to his best at this year’s Giro d’Italia, helping Yates claim a stunning victory.

Image source, Reuters

UAE Team Emirates-XRG have selected six of the seven riders they picked for Tadej Pogacar’s win at the Criterium du Dauphine last month, including experienced duo Nils Politt and Marc Soler, with climbers Joao Almeida and Adam Yates completing the squad.

Almeida finished fourth on his Tour debut last year and returns as one of this year’s in-form riders, becoming the first rider to win three of cycling’s ‘big seven’ stage races in the same season since Bradley Wiggins (2012).

Yates is riding in his ninth Tour and has had five top-10 finishes, including third and sixth in his first two years since joining UAE from Ineos Grenadiers.

Image source, Reuters

Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard have shared the past five Tour de France titles and their rivalry is set to continue over the next three weeks, with Danish rider Vingegaard set to be Pogacar's closest challenger.

His Visma-Lease a Bike team have brought the big guns to France as they aim to wrest back the title they claimed in 2022 and 2023.

Trouble is, Pogacar also leads a star-studded line-up for UAE Team Emirates-XRG.

Image source, Reuters

There are 184 riders rolling out of Lille at the moment and nearly all eyes are on this man.

Can anyone stop Tadej Pogacar?

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