Porte left frustrated after crash in Stage 2

RICHIE Porte’s Tour de France fight has got bloody as he battles to navigate the race’s infamous first week.

The Australian is nursing a sore and bloodied right knee after a mass Stage 2 crash on more wet and slippery roads.

German powerhouse Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) won the 203km journey from Dusseldorf to the industrial Bel- gian city of Liege, triumphantly saluting after holding off Arnaud Demare (FDJ) and Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal).

But after fellow Australian Luke Durbridge (Orica-Scott) was forced to abandon due to crash injuries sustained on Stage 1, Porte was one of several victims on another chaotic day, with title rivals Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Romain Bardet (AG2R) among a group of riders caught up in a nasty crash on a roundabout with 30km to go on Stage 2.

The Australian took skin off his right knee and was sore upon returning to the BMC team bus. Froome took longer to get up and was forced to chase with a handful of similarly battered teammates, while also having to stop for a replacement bike.

Yet Porte, whose cautious approach to the treacherous Stage 1 time trial saw him fall 35 seconds behind Froome, battled to hide his frustration afterwards.

“It’s nice to get the first crash out of the way and you know, get on with it,” Porte said sarcastically. “It was stressful. First stage of the Tour and then you get the rain, then it dries up and then it starts raining again.”

Cairns rider Adam Hansen is still standing after a tough start. The 36-year-old sat three minutes off the pace after Stage 2 as riders contended with the wettest start to a Tour in years. Hansen has of course seen it all as he shoots for his 18th consecutive Grand Tour finish and will tick over 60,000km in cycling’s equivalent of majors should he reach the end of the Tour de France.

Riders finished a hilly Stage 3 this morning and will now prepare for the 207.5km Stage 4 from Mondorf-les-Bains to Vittel in northeastern France, which starts tonight.