The double champion, Alberto Contador, took a spectacular tumble as the Tour de France got off to a chaotic start with the German, Marcel Kittel, winning a crash-marred opening stage.
The Orica GreenEdge team bus got stuck under the finish-line banner as the peloton was approaching and was moved just minutes before Kittel outsprinted a decimated bunch to claim the yellow jersey.
All riders were credited with the same time because of the incident.
The Spaniard Contador was caught up in a crash with four kilometres left and he crossed the line with the left side of his jersey torn up and his face a mask of pain.
