Chris Froome loses time on opening day of Tour de France

Froome involved in crash 5km from finish of first stage

Chris Froome carries his bicycle after falling into a ditch during the first stage. Photograph: Jeff Pachoud/Reuters
Chris Froome carries his bicycle after falling into a ditch during the first stage. Photograph: Jeff Pachoud/Reuters

Colombian Fernando Gaviria snatched the lead of the Tour de France when he won the opening stage as favourites Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana were involved in separate incidents and lost time on Saturday.

Froome crashed into a grass section on the side of the road with five kilometres left and was quickly back on his bike, but the speeding peloton did not wait as preparations for the final mass sprint had started.

Froome crossed the line some 50 seconds behind Gaviria, who won a bunch sprint after the 201km ride from Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile ahead of world champion Peter Sagan and German Marcel Kittel, second and third respectively.

Quintana, twice a Tour runner-up, suffered a puncture 3.5 km from the line and finished more than a minute off the pace.

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Other top contenders Adam Yates and Richie Porte also lost time after being involved in pile-ups.