Lampre and HTC-Columbia are the two dominant forces at the front of the peloton but Cervelo and Garmin also have good representation.
17:23 - Maartin Wynants Wins Fighting Spirit Award The Belgian who was on the attack today has been voted the winner of the Fighting Spirit award (otherwise know as the ’most aggressive riders’ prize). Maartin Wynants will wear a red dossard in the second stage.
After he sat on Pliuschin's wheel for the last hour?
Not to take anything away from Petacchi’s win but the first stage of the 2010 will be remembered for the crashes in the final kilometers. It ruled out well over half the peloton and there are riders now walking to the finish.
17:31 - Petacchi Racing For Win...
Petacchi has survived the carnage and taken his first stage win at the Tour since 2003.
17:29 - Garmin In Charge
Cavendish is not going to win today. He’s gesturing to the camera ’that’s life’ and he’s rolling in behind the bunch which is now less than 1km from the line.
17:28 - Crash In Peloton
There has been a crash on a right turn. Petacchi, Cavendish and Freire have been caught up... as has Hunt of Cervelo.