For the second year in a row, Marcel Kittel won the opening stage of the Tour de France after a perfect team performance in today's race in England. The German was full of praise for his teammates who completely dominated the final kilometre.

Marcel Kittel (GER) has sprinted to an emphatic victory on the opening stage of Le Tour de France and in doing so took the first yellow jersey of the race.

The opening stage of the Tour was a real festival atmosphere with huge crowds lining the route from the start of the race in Leeds all the way to the finish 191km later in Harrogate.

Kittel came through in the final few hundred metres, undettered by a crash unfolding behind him, and after great preparation from a Pure Sprint Formation to take the fifth Tour de France stage of his young career.

Together with yellow, Kittel also takes the green jersey of points leader.

"It was a really special day today - the supporters lining the roads were incredible. I am so proud and this means so much to me that we made it happen," Kittel said "The jersey is for the team after the job they did today and all the fans out there supporting us also deserve a slice.

"We worked so hard for it - everyone pulled just as they should and even with a slight reshuffle in the sprint formation at the end we got it perfect. John [Degenkolb] and Koen [De Kort] pulled through the last few hundred metres of the lead-out and then I had to go for it as Sagan launched. We got it right again today and it was a real team effort. It's a special day.

"It was so hard! The hill in the last kilometer made it very difficult to win. There were so many people that we rode the finale like in a tunnel with a terrible noise.

"It's unbelievable that I win stage 1 again. I had good legs today and my guys did an excellent job. Our plan was to control the race with the other sprinters' teams. This yellow jersey is for my team-mates. They were completely dedicated to that one goal. It's a big big relief to pay them back with a win.

"I knew from last year how hard it is to win at the Tour de France but I realized today how much harder it is to win stage 1 a second time.

"I'm actually very proud that we won again. I have to say thank you to my boys. They worked very hard for me. I think the advantage for me today was the team. When you look at the last 5km, we were for sure the strongest team. We could do it how we wanted and that was important for the victory.

"I have to say that it was perfect for me as a pure sprinter today. The race was like we wanted to have it. It was fast up hill but not too fast. I think a lot of guys stayed in the peloton. I think on these roads it is very important to stay at the front and that is what we did as a team.

"Tomorrow it'll be another day with a lot of ups and downs, I'm not sure if we, the sprinters, can compete for the win again. I feel sorry for Mark Cavendish and I wish him all the best."

"Today was really special. From the start the race was amazing with fans two, three, four deep lining the whole route. It made for an amazing experience.

"We did a great job today and waited until the right time," Degenkolb said. "When Cancellara attacked near the finish at first it was tense but we stayed calm as there was still a long way to go.

"I didn't really see the crash at the finish as we were just focused on doing what we were doing. I came through after Roy [Curvers] and then Koen [De Kort] came through after me to bring Marcel into position. 

"It feels amazing to win again as a team like this and what a way to start the Tour."

"That was unbelievable. To win the yellow jersey on the opening stage of the Tour for the second year in a row is something special," coach Marc Reef said. "The situation was good for us today - three riders ahead and a steady chase behind. We put Cheng [Ji] up in front from the start to control and he did a good job. 

"Throughout the day we were never in trouble - Tom Veelers was open and said he wasn't feeling great so we changed the formation out on the road and with 25km to go were on track for the plan to sprint with Marcel. Everyone was really strong, communicated well and stuck to the plan. And then at the end Marcel was super strong and finished it off."