Britain's Geraint Thomas wins stage one
Welshman clocks 16 minutes four seconds for 14km time trial
Team Sky team-mate Vasil Kiryienka is second
Defending champion Chris Froome sixth
GC contender Alejandro Valverde out after big crash
Tony Martin could not even take second as he slots in behind Vasil Kiryienka and into third.
It's a Team Sky one-two at the moment and Geraint Thomas is looking very good for his first Grand Tour stage win.
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on Radio 5 live sports extra
Chris Froome has to attack the straights and back off on the bends. Err on the side of caution.
There is plenty of time for Froome to gain time on his rivals later on as long as it isn’t too big a gap – it is a fine balancing act.
No! Tony Martin, the home favourite, fades in the final stages and does not better Geraint Thomas' time.
Waiting for confirmation of Martin's time to see if he grabbed second.
Taylor Phinney, who was forced to pretty much learn how to walk again after a horror crash, has just posted a mightily impressive time of 16 minutes 21 seconds
Geraint Thomas still has top spot. Can Tony Martin beat him?
Tony Martin has posted the fastest time at the checkpoint, going through at nine minutes 19 seconds.
Is the German on course for a home victory?
The defending champion is under way...
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on Radio 5 live sports extra
It looked like a bad lower limb injury for Valverde and it has proved to be the end of his Tour.
Confirmation of what was expected after that awful crash, but Alejandro Valverde has officially abandoned the Tour de France on stage one.
The 37-year-old Spaniard crashed heavily into the barriers after misjudging a tight corner in wet conditions and was unable to get back to his feet.
An outside chance for the overall title, Valverde was also due to play a key support role for one of Chris Froome's main rivals Nairo Quintana.
Richie Porte, perhaps sensibly, opts for safety as he comes through in a time of 16 minutes 51 seconds.
That's on a par with the likes of fellow GC riders Dan Martin, Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet.
A solid, if unspectacular, ride but will any of the main overall contenders risk pushing it too far in these conditions?
Every second is vital but a big crash could end your Tour.
Well the TV coverage completely missed Geraint Thomas' ride but here he is crossing the line earlier.
His time of 16 minutes four seconds is yet to be beaten, but the favourites are out on course.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesRight, while we await more news on Valverde, today's heavy favourite Tony Martin has just got his ride under way.
The four-time world time trial champion is riding a specially branded Kraftwerk bike, the German band having formed in Dusseldorf.
Will he take the first yellow jersey of this Tour de France?
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on Radio 5 live sports extra
That looks like a leg or an ankle that Valverde has gone hard into the barriers with. He was going very quickly and he looks to be in considerable discomfort. His Tour might be over.
He hit the barriers so so hard. They tried to move him but he wasn't getting up.
It's a really ugly looking crash for Valverde. He went at the corner full pelt, his wheels went from under him and he was thrown forward off his bike and into the barriers.
If he is forced to abandon it would also be a big blow to Movistar team-mate Nairo Quintana's chances.
Potentially a huge moment in this Tour de France on stage one.
Alejandro Valverde has fallen heavily on the corner that has proved hazardous for many riders all day.
The Spaniard is still down. It looks like his Tour could be over.
We're just under 20 minutes away from Chris Froome starting his Tour de France title defence.
What are the chances he can make it three straight and four titles in five years?
We've got you covered.
Peter Scrivener attempts to answer that very question here.
And our chief sports writer Tom Fordyce has been to meet Froome to get inside the mind of a climber.
Geraint Thomas was actually three seconds behind Vasil Kiryienka at the halfway stage but produced a negative split to take the top spot.
BBC Sport users may have to click 'view more' to see this content.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Italy's big hope for the race is Fabio Aru. The Astana man is only 26 but his aggressive riding in the mountains helped him win his solitary Grand Tour to date - the 2015 Vuelta.
Aru is off at 17:27 BST.
Image source, Getty ImagesHere goes Alejandro Valverde...
Another of Chris Froome's rivals, Richie Porte, is out on the road...
Crunch time.
Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on Radio 5 live sports extra
Oh my word! The French TV directors have missed all but the end of his ride but Geraint Thomas has gone quickest. Is he back to his best? Well, he is currently seven seconds ahead of anyone else.