Remark: this stage does not take part in the game.
For the first time in more than forty years, the Tour the France started with a regular stage rather than a prologue. Eight men escaped from the peloton but did not manage to stay away until the finish. The stage ended on top of a hill and we immediately got an indication of the current strength of the race favorites. Alejandro Valverde of Spain won the stage and took the first yelow jersey.