Mark Cavendish struggles heat brutal first stage Tour de France

Romain Bardet wins thrilling stage one of Tour de France, taking yellow jersey as Mark Cavendish struggles with intense heat.

Romain Bardet emerged victorious in a thrilling first stage of the Tour de France in Rimini, securing the coveted yellow jersey. The race was marked by intense heat, with Sir Mark Cavendish facing a gruelling start as he battled the challenging conditions.

Bardet, in his final Tour appearance, made a decisive move out of the peloton with 50 kilometers remaining in the 206km stage. With the assistance of his teammate Frank van den Broek, Bardet managed to maintain a slight lead over the chasing pack as they approached the finish line on the Adriatic seafront.

Meanwhile, Cavendish and his Astana-Qazaqstan teammates struggled on the final climb to San Marino, with Cavendish visibly struggling and vomiting as he fought to keep pace. Despite the difficulties, Cavendish managed to finish within the time cut, albeit more than 39 minutes behind Bardet.

Cavendish, who postponed his retirement to pursue a record-breaking 35th stage victory at the Tour, faced a challenging start to the race. The first stage, which featured over 3,600 meters of climbing and scorching temperatures, proved to be a tough test for many riders.

As Bardet celebrated his unexpected victory, he credited his teammate for the support and expressed gratitude for the win. The French rider acknowledged that it was the right time to end his Tour career on a high note.

The main contenders, including Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, and Primoz Roglic, finished close behind Bardet, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive Tour de France ahead.

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