Cycling: Kiwis come a cropper in treacherous opening stage of Tour de France

Kiwi George Bennett rolls off the start-line for stage one of the Tour de France 2017, a 14km individual time trial in Duesseldorf, Photo/Getty Images

Kiwi cyclists George Bennett and Patrick Bevin made intimate acquaintance with the roads of Dusseldorf, but it could have been far worse, as the Tour de France claimed its first victims on the opening time-trial stage.

Spaniard Alejandro Valverde was the biggest casualty, as heavy rain transformed the tight 14km German street circuit into a virtual ice rink in places, bringing down several riders along the way.

By comparison, Bennett and Bevin were luckier, at least making it to the finish line, after coming to grief on their journeys.

Bennett, who created history with victory on the Tour of California last month, sits 162nd out 196 starters, 1m 37s behind leader Geraint Thomas, after remounting his bike and carrying on. Tour rookie Bevin was 11 seconds slower in 180th.

Veteran Jack Bauer is the best of the four Kiwis in 56th place, 49 seconds behind Welshman Thomas, while Dion Smith sits 178th, also on debut.

"I'm pretty gutted, I guess, but that's cycling," reflected Bennett, whose California win came off the back of a strong time trial effort on the penultimate stage. "I've had worse crashes and got through them, but it was pretty crazy out there today.

"The majority of [damage] is just a bit of skin loss and bumps and bruises, and that doesn't really worry me at all. The only thing I'm a little bit worried about is a little tendon pull behind my knee, but I don't think it's anything serious.

"I went through what I thought was pretty low risk and still took a dive - even my mechanic, trying to get me going again, couldn't stand upright.

"Normally I would have gone through that corner in the time-trial position, but I made myself ... take a low-risk strategy and still lost the front end. I really don't know how it happened.

"It's just disappointing for the amount of hours you put into time-trial training. At least I'm not at home now with a broken leg and there's still 20 more stages to fight on."

Valverde, who has won four individual Tour stages during his career and finished sixth overall last year, slammed into barriers at high speed, after falling off his bike and was forced to abandon the race in a neck brace, with a suspected broken left kneecap.

Well, not our best start with 3 of us lotto boys on the deck . It was slipperier than bill English out there. 20 days to go.

— George Bennett? (@georgenbennett) July 1, 2017

He was expected to help Movistar team-mate Nairo Quintana mount a challenge for the title this year.

Bauer's Quick-Step outfit lies second in the team standings, behind Team SKY, led by Thomas and three-time Tour champion Chris Froome. Bennett's LottoNL team holds fourth.

Later today (NZ time), the remaining riders will line-up for the mainly flat second stage - 203.5km from Dusseldorf to Liege, Belgium - suited to specialist sprinters in the peleton.

Tour de France - Stage One
14km time trial, Dusseldorf
1. Geraint Thomas (Britain/Sky) 16 minutes 4 seconds
2. Stefan Kueng (Switzerland/BMC Racing) 16:09
3. Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus/Sky) 16:11
4. Tony Martin (Germany/Katusha-Alpecin) 16:12
5. Matteo Trentin (Italy/Quick-Step Floors) 16:14
6. Chris Froome (Britain/Sky) 16:16
7. Jos van Emden (Netherlands/LottoNL-Jumbo) 16:19
8. Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland/Sky) 16:19
9. Marcel Kittel (Germany/Quick-Step Floors) 16:20
10. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway/Dimension Data) 16:20

Also
53. Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) 16:52
56. Jack Bauer (NZ/Quick-Step Floors) 16:53
60. Thibaut Pinot (France/FDJ) 16:54
63. Romain Bardet (France/AG2R La Mondiale) 16:55
68. Alberto Contador (Spain, Trek-Segafredo) 16:58
162. George Bennett (NZ/LottoNL-Jumbo) 17:41
178. Dion Smith (NZ/Wanty Groupe Gobert) 17:51
180. Patrick Bevin (NZ/Cannondale Drapac) 17:52