The opening to the 102nd Tour de France took place as an individual time trial over 13.8 km in Utrecht. For BORA – ARGON 18, the first stage proved to be difficult, since the two top riders of the team had to deal with bad luck. Due to unknown causes a part of the handle bar at the bike of leader Dominik Nerz loosened in the last three kilometers. Time trial specialist Jan Barta crashed in a corner in the first three kilometers and therefore had to give up all hopes for a top time.

"Today everything went wrong, what can go wrong. Jan is a rider who always goes full risk and perhaps this time it was a tiny bit too much. If you crash so early in such a short time trial and also lose the chain, youn lose the rhythm completely – also mentally. After that he couldn’t go nearly as good as he is able to. On Dominik’s bike a part of the handlebar went loose – but it didn’t break. We don’t know the reason yet but we’ll analyze tonight. This result is of course hard for both of them and the entire team. But there are still three weeks ahead of us and I'm sure the boys will come up with a reaction", comments Enrico Poitschke, Sports Director of BORA – ARGON 18, the opening time trial.

"I rode over a bump and within a second I had a part of the handlebar in my hands," Nerz said. "After the initial shock, I was thinking to switch the bike. But I decided to keep the one I had, because switching bikes also costs time. Certainly I hoped for a some kind of different start, especially since all conditions were perfect. The atmosphere was amazing, the cheering crowd really carried us. Such things happen, only it shouldn’t have happened today. "

The second stage runs tomorrow from the Grand Depart-place Utrecht to Zeeland. On the 166 kilometers course, it’s expected that crosswind and echelons can determine the outcome of the race.