After two years of starting with a road stage, the Tour de France has reverted to tradition and starts with the riders going off against the clock. Stage 1, at 13.8 kilometres, is long enough to be considered a time trial rather than a prologue and happens to be the fourth-longest time trial ever to start the Tour.
Three of the 'big four' general classification favourites will have the advantage of knowing the other’s time as Nairo Quintana (Movistar) sets out at 15:00 local time – over two hours ahead of Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo), and Chris Froome (Team Sky). Nibali, as last year’s overall winner, is the final rider to roll off the start ramp at 17:17 and will be out on the road with Contador (17:13) and Froome (17:14).
At 13.8 kilometres, the course is long test for the prologue specialists, but short for the out-and-out time triallists. Tony Martin (Etixx-QuickStep) falls into the latter camp and goes off 165th at 16:44, while Fabian Cancellara (Trek), who has five opening-day Tour chrono victories to his name, follows at 17:03.
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The man everyone is tipping for victory is Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin). The Dutch rider is in fine form having won both time trials at the recent Tour de Suisse and will be off the ramp at 16:25.
Eritrean time trial champion Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka) is the man who will kick things off at 14:00. There are one-minute intervals throughout and you can see the full list and timings below.
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