Geraint Thomas wins Tour de France opener

DUESSELDORF, GERMANY » Chris Froome’s most loyal support rider finally got some glory of his own.

Geraint Thomas won the wet and slippery opening stage of the Tour de France on Saturday and claimed the yellow jersey.

It was the first Grand Tour stage victory for Thomas, who has escorted Sky teammate Froome to Paris for three Tour victories.

“I just can’t believe it,” Thomas said. “I got into cycling because of the Tour de France.”

Thomas said he watched the Tour as a kid and harangued his dad to get satellite TV coverage.

“I ran home from school to watch it,” he said. “It’s crazy to be in the camera.”

Averaging 52 kph (32 mph), Thomas required little more than 16 minutes to cover the almost entirely flat 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) individual time trial up and down the banks of the Rhine River in downtown Duesseldorf.

Stefan Kueng of BMC finished second, five seconds behind, and Vasil Kiryienka of Sky was third, seven seconds back.

Froome finished sixth, 12 seconds behind, and gained time on all of his expected challengers. He finished about 40 seconds ahead of both Richie Porte and Nairo Quintana.

“I’ve been cautious. It was slippery. It wasn’t the best time trial for me,” Porte said. “I was nervous. It was better to take no risk.”

Thomas opened the year aiming for overall victory in the Giro d’Italia but was forced to abandon that race because of injuries in a crash caused by a police motorbike. The Welshman started his career as a track cyclist, winningOlympic and world titles in team pursuit.

In the opening stage of the 2013 Tour, Thomas crashed and broke his pelvis but remained in the race until the end to help Froome take his first victory.

“I heard in my ear that Geraint Thomas had won. That’s super, super,” Froome said. “I have worked a lot on the time trial in the last three weeks after the Dauphine.”

It was a banner day for Team Sky, which placed four riders in the top 10 with Michal Kwiatkowski one spot behind Froome in seventh.

Pre-stage favorite Tony Martin, the four-time time trial world champion racing before his home fans, finished fourth, eight seconds behind.

Many riders complained about the super slippery combination of oil and rain on the road and they were careful to avoid riding over white traffic lines, which can be extra treacherous when wet.

“It hasn’t rained here for months — like everywhere else in Europe,” said former world champion Philippe Gilbert.

CHRISTOPHE ENA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Britain’s Geraint Thomas celebrates on the podium after winning the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time trial over 14kilometers (8,7miles), with start and Finish in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday.