Chris Froome was overjoyed to avoid the carnage which engulfed Mark Cavendish as over one million people welcomed the 101st Tour de France to Yorkshire.
Defending champion Froome finished sixth on the 190.5 kilometre first stage from Leeds to Harrogate, which was won by Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano).
“It’s unreal, absolutely unreal,” Froome said. “As defending Tour champion it doesn’t get much better than this. The crowds out there were just incredible.
“Just a shame for Cav in the final there. It would’ve been nice to have a British victory, but that’s racing.”
While Cavendish crashed to end his bid for a 26th Tour stage win and a first yellow jersey of his career, Froome avoided trouble and was conscientious enough on a stage where the sprinters were expected to dominate to put himself in a strong position entering today’s second stage.
“It was more about staying out of trouble, getting to the finish without any big issues,” Froome added.
“The guys did a really good job, keeping me out of harm’s way.
“Car positioning is quite a big issue and I just thought ‘we don’t really have a sprinter here, it’ll be good to have a position somewhere’.
“I was just well positioned. The crash with Cav happened on the left, I was on the right, and I just carried on.”
The Tour’s northernmost start and fourth visit to Britain gave the main protagonists a sensory experience. Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas struggled to hear himself think.
“The crowds were just incredible all day,” Thomas said. “My ears are ringing now; it was like being in a disco for four hours.”
Team Sky’s focus immediately turned to today’s 201km second stage from York to Sheffield, a route which could test even those bidding for a podium place come Paris on July 27.
Thomas added: “The main goal for is the same: look after Froomey, keep him out of trouble. Get into that last climb in a good position with him, then it’s all to play for.”