The entire Astana team is now keeping Mark Cavendish company, who is having water poured all over him.

The gap to the main bunch is about 25 seconds although he should be able to regain contact on a relatively long descent before the slightly easier climb up the category three Cote des Forche.

Alarm bells are ringing for Astana-Qazaqstan and Mark Cavendish.

The 39-year-old is being dropped on the opening climb and has Michael Morkov with him, It looks like Cees Bol has been sent back to help the Manxman as well.

Is Cavendish struggling with the heat? Morkov drops back to the Soudal-Quick Step team car to ask for water and ice.

Since the start of the Tour de France in 1954 in Amsterdam, the race has begun outside France 26 times.

Italy is the 11th country to host the Grand Depart. The others are the Netherlands (six times), Belgium (five times), Germany (four times), Great Britain (two), Luxembourg (two), Spain (two) and Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Monaco and Switzerland (all once).

Matteo Vercher is dropping away from the breakaway bunch. He definitely won't be contending for King of the Mountains points.

The two chasers bridge across just in time for the climb up the Col de Valico Tre Faggi.

So the leading nine-man group is Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Ion Izagirre (Cofidis), Clement Champoussin (Arkea-B&B Hotels), Frank Van den Broek (DSM-firmenich PostNL), Sandy Dujardin and Matteo Vercher (TotalEnergies), Ryan Gibbons (Lidl-Trek) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility).

Jonas Vingegaard is back in the bunch after changing bikes.

Soudal-Quick Step team boss Patrick Lefevere has posted on Twitter that Jan Hirt broke three teeth between signing on this morning and getting to the start.

The Czech rider apparently was caught by the backpack of a fan and hit the deck causing the damage to his front teeth. Not pleasant at all.

Rasmus Tiller and Odd Christian Eiking are reeled in by the main bunch. As Ryan Gibbons and Jonas Abrahamsen nip off to try to get to the front of the race.

Meanwhile, Jonas Vingegaard looks to have suffered a mechanical and is now off the back of the peloton.

It's actually a seven-man break up at the front, which caught Uno-X Mobility out.

Rasmus Tiller and Odd Christian Eiking are in pursuit but this looks a forlorn attempt in 36ºC heat.

The Norwegian duo take a minute out of the peloton but are still over 60 seconds back.

The elastic has snapped. Six riders break clear, including former stage winners Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) and Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious).

I've got Mohoric, who has claimed three wins at the Tour across the 2021 and 2023 editions in my Fantasy team for moves just like this!

Image source, Getty Images

Now if you want a more in depth read about Mark Cavendish's prospects, Ineos Grenadiers hopes and the battle for the yellow jersey, this piece from my colleague Matt Warwick ticks all the boxes.

Raul Garcia tries to get up the road but the presence of Romain Bardet puts that move to a stop.

The French rider has been on the podium twice at the end of a Tour and frankly a rider of his class will not be allowed to escape with large and possibly uncontrollable group.

None of the big GC teams are interested in the skirmishes at the front of the peloton. Nobody has really looked like breaking the elastic yet.

Surely a break will go on the Category two climb up the Col de Valico Tre Faggi, 12.5km at an average gradient of 5.1%.

Several more riders including Fred Wright zip up to the front. The peloton is not going to let this go mind.

Meanwhile, Tadej Pogacar is sat right at the back of the peloton having a natter, while Jan Hirt, who is Remco Evenepoel's climbing domestique looks to be in a bit of discomfort.

Five riders peel off the bunch and go on the attack. Rasmus Tiller is on the front of that small posse for Norwegian team Uno-X Mobility.

The flag has dropped. Here we go.

Now alongside that trio of Ineos Grenadiers riders and Mark Cavendish, there are another seven British riders competing in this year’s Tour, which is apparently a record number.

Adam and Simon Yates could come to the fore on the hunt for stage wins – the twins are at the Tour with different teams and different roles.

Britain’s Fred Wright of Bahrain-Victorious will contest some of the fast-but-hilly stages alongside compatriots Stevie Williams and Jake Stewart of Israel Premier Tech.

And Daniel McLay and Oscar Onley are also competing.

Image source, Getty Images

Ineos Grenadiers have assembled a strong eight-man team for the Tour.

The 2018 winner Geraint Thomas and fellow Briton Tom Pidcock come into the race with the freedom to target stage wins.

And the British team's overall ambitions appear to be built around 2019 Tour winner Egan Bernal, still trying to find his ceiling after the career-threatening crash suffered in 2022, and Carlos Rodriguez, who was fifth overall in last year's race.

Jonathan Castroviejo, Laurens de Plus, Michal Kwiatkowski and Ben Turner make up the supporting cast.

Thomas, who finished third in the Giro d'Italia in May, of course has a fine Grand Tour pedigree and it'll be interesting to see if Ineos' plans have to alter to give the Welshman a more prominent role.

Image source, Getty Images

Now the ribbon cutting ceremony is over, the peloton continue through the streets of Florence, crossing the iconic Ponte Vecchio.

It is currently 32°C out on the road, so absolutely scorchio. Can't imagine sitting around waiting to get going again was an ideal start for many riders as we see shots of a few riders collecting bidons.

Image source, Getty Images

Now then all eyes will of course also be on Mark Cavendish.

Now 39 Cavendish begins Saturday's opening stage in Florence with 34 Tour stage wins to his name, holding the all-time record alongside Belgian great Eddy Merckx.

Last year was supposed to be Cavendish's final Tour and final chance to take the record outright, but when it was ended by a crash on stage eight, the Manxman was persuaded his career could not be allowed to end in the back of an ambulance.

And he is in confident mood as he looks towards Monday's stage three into Turin, expected to be the first sprint opportunity. "We wouldn't be here if we didn't think it was possible," Cavendish said.

"Realistically there's five or six chances and it's hard. All the other sprinters have got the same opportunities as well. I think we have everything in place to do it but everyone else thinks they're in a place to do it. That's the nature of sport. We try.

"I don't think I have anything to lose. It's not like playing roulette where if I don't win I lose 34 Tour stages. I know it makes a nice story to say that but it's as simple as that. I've won 34 stages. I've won the most stages along with the great Eddy Merckx. I just try for more and if there's one, two, or 10 it doesn't matter."