Saturday, July 5: Live updates from Prologue
ROUEN, France

7.3km

Prologue favorite Chris Boardman says sometimes the pre-race pressure is too much.

“Everyone expects me to win. I just have to go out there and ride my race,” said Boardman, winner of the 1994 prologue.

Today’s opening prologue of the 21-stage, 3,950km (2,370-mile) Tour is the first test for the peloton’s top riders, with all the big guns looking to show their form early.

First out of the gate will be Mexico’s Miguel Arroyo (Big Mat), one of three Latin Americans in the 198-strong peloton. Colombians Chepe Gonzalez, who won a stage last year, and Hernan Buenahora both race under the Kelme colors.

Arroyo heads out at 4:20 p.m. local time on the 7.3km course through the streets the Rouen.

Riders go out at one-minute intervals, with defending champion Bjarne Riis (Telekom) out of the start gate last at 7:37 local time.

More than 400,000 fans are estimated to be lining the course for the start of cycling’s greatest race.

The weather is cooperating, so far. Sunny skies welcomed the teams as they went out on training rides in the rolling hills around Rouen. Clouds are building up and the threat of rain hangs over the later starters.

5:33 p.m. (local time):
Telekom’s Jan Ullrich didn’t like the way his back disc wheel felt just before starting the Tour’s prologue. He insisted on a quick change and barely made it to the start house in time.

His intuition paid off. Riding the 7.3km course through the streets of Rouen, the 23-year-old runner-up in last year’s Tour covered the course in eight minutes and 22 seconds, a time that could stand for a top-10 finish on the day.

Other early times include Andrea Peron (FDJ) at 10 seconds back, Christophe Moreau (Festina) at 16 seconds back, and American Frankie Andreu (Cofidis) at 17 seconds back.

Laurent Jalabert (ONCE) will start in a few minutes, followed by Americans Tyler Hamilton (U.S. Postal) and Kevin Livingston (Cofidis).

Defending champion Bjarne Riis (Telekom) doesn’t start for another two hours.

6:25 p.m. (local time):
Through half the field, Telekom’s Jan Ullrich remains atop the leaderboard in the prologue opening the 84th Tour de France.

Ullrich, who finished second in the time trial last month at the Tour de Suisse, covered the 7.3km course in eight minutes and 22 seconds.

Other early times that are standing include Andrea Peron (FDJ) at 10 seconds back, Christophe Moreau (Festina) at 16 seconds back, Oskar Carmenzind (Mapei) at 15 seconds back, and American Frankie Andreu (Cofidis) at 17 seconds back.

ONCE's Laurent Jalabert finished more than 20 seconds off Ullrich's time, who started in the 44th position.

The first three-quarters of the field heading out on the course are typically the climbers, sprinters, and domestiques and won’t be a threat in these timed events. The big guns come later, with defending champion Bjarne Riis (Telekom) last out of the start house in a little more than one hour.

7:33 p.m. (local time):
Maybe Jan Ullrich’s time will stand. It held up against Abraham Olano (Banesto), who finished eight seconds back, and against Euvgeny Berzin (Batik), at three seconds back.

Ullrich covered the 7.3km prologue course in 8:22, starting early in the day.

Race favorite Chris Boardman (Gan) has just started.

Berzin had a faster intermediate time than Ullrich, but lost a few seconds on the second half of the course.

Winds are blowing much stronger than they were when Ullrich was on course nearly three hours ago.

7:45 p.m. (local time):
Gan's Chris Boardman just pushed Jan Ullrich out of the Tour's opening-day maillot jaune. The Brit crossed the line barely one second faster than the young German. Defending champion Bjarne Riis is now on course.

7:50 p.m. (local time):
Bjarne Riis is out of the yellow and Chris Boardman is in.

GAN's Boardman was fastest on the opening prologue of the 1997 Tour de France, covering the 7.3km fan-lined course in eight minutes, 21 seconds.

Jan Ullrich (Telekom), last year's runner-up, finished second just one second back after posting the fastest time early on.

Finishing third was Batik's Euvgeny Berzin, four seconds off Boardman's time.

Boardman was the pre-race favorite, but could barely beat Ullrich, who looks to be in fine form in just his second Tour.

Banesto's Abraham Olano finished in the top 10, nine seconds off Boardman's winning time.

Defending champion Bjarne Riis (Telekom), however, was 14 seconds off Boardman's time.

The intrigue begins as teammmates Ullrich and Riis start to play off each other.