1.
GV PAN. RIDERS AWAY FROM START.
0.10

2.
CU No. 46, BAHAMONTES (SPAIN)
0.13

3.
CU No. 97, PEREZ-FRANCES (SPAIN)
0.18

4.
CU No. 111, YADORNI (ITALY)
0.21

5.
CU No. 1, ANQUETIL (FRANCE)
0.24

6.
CU No. 77, VAN LOOY (BELGIUM)
0.28

7.
CU No. 19, POULIDOR (FRANCE)
0.30

8.
CU No. 56, BEHEYT (BELGIUM)
0.33

9.
CU No. 32, SIMPSON (BRITAIN).
0.37

10.
CU No. 2, ALTIG (GERMANY).
0.40

11.
GV PAN. RIDERS PAST CAMERA AT SPEED.
0.50

12.
SV VITRE CASTLE.
0.53

13.
TRAVELLING SHOT PAN. RIDERS UP AND PAST CAMERA.
1.06

14.
GV PAN. RIDERS PAST CAMERA.
1.11

15.
TRAVELLING SHOT: CROWD.
1.15

16.
TRAVELLING SHOT UP TO VAN LOOY INJURED ON GROUND.
1.23

17.
CU SPECTATOR.
1.24

18.
SCU VAN LOOY IN PAIN.
1.31

19.
SCU No. 33, VAN CONINGSLOO (BELGIUM) IN PAIN ON GROUND.
1.36

20.
SV VAN LOOY RECOVERING.
1.39

21.
CU SPECTATOR.
1.41

22.
SV PAN. VAN LOOY BACK IN RACE AGAIN.
1.45

23.
LV To SCU PAN. THE WINNER IN THE FIRST STAGE, No. 73, SELS (BELGIUM)
2.00

24.
SCU TWO GIRLS IN TRADITIONAL DRESS.
2.01

25.
SV ZOOM OUT TO GV SELS THE WINNER (FIRST STAGE) HOLDING BOUQUET OF FLOWERS.
2.08



Initials JRG/R/MGT/KN


SPORT: CYCLING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: YESTERDAY (MONDAY)... THE START AT RENNES OF THE 51ST TOUR DE FRANCE, THE MOST EXACTING CYCLE RACE IN THE WORLD... A RACE AND AN OBSESSION, OCCUPYING THE NATION FOR NEARLY A MONTH... SOME TEN MILLION CITIZENS WILL BE WATCHING IT - AT THE ROADSIDE OR ON THE TELEVISION... SWEATING ALMOST AS MUCH AS THE CYCLISTS TAKING PART.

A RACE OF 2,800 MILES (4500 KMS), OVER THREE MOUNTAIN REGIONS AND ALONG THREE COASTAL AREAS. GOING WITH THEM, BUT NOT ON BIKES -- ALL THE PARAPHANALIA OF A BIG TRAVELLING CIRCUS -- TRAINERS, MECHANICS, SPARE-PARTS MEN, DOCTORS, PUBLICITY MEN, AND MASSEURS. AND OF COURSE A HORDE OF CAMERAMEN, REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS.

THE FAVOURITE AGAIN - JACQUES ANQUETIL, THE NORMAN. HE'S ALREADY WON FOUR TIMES - A RECORD. FROM PRIZE MONEYS, ADVERTISING, CONTRACTS AND PROFESSIONAL RACE FEES, ANQUETIL IS A RICH MAN. IF HE WINS AGAIN HE WILL BE YET RICHER - BY GBP2,000, THE TOUR DE FRANCE'S TOP PRIZE.

A TOTAL OF 132 RIDERS WERE IN TODAY'S FIRST OF 22 STAGES. AMONG THEM - ANQUETIL'S RIVAL AND COMPATRIOT RAYMOND POULIDOR, RIK VAN LOOY OF BELGIUM, THE SPANIARD FEDERICO BAHAMONTES, RUDI ALTIG OF GERMANY AND VITTORIO ADORNI OF ITALY.

A FAIRLY EASY RUN... TO LISIEUX IN NORMANDY. FIRST MAN TO WIN THE YELLOW JERSEY AS OVERALL LEADER OF THIS OPENING STAGE - EDOUARD SELS OF BELGIUM. THE DISTANCE: 133 MILES (215 KMS). VAN LOOY WHO'D HAD A BAD FALL CAME IN FOUR MINUTES BEHIND. THEY ARE BOTH IN THE SAME TEAM. MICHAEL WRIGHT OF BRITAIN WAS SECOND. ANQUETIL WATCHING THE POTENTIAL OF THE RIVALS WAS 14TH IN, BUT CAME IN THE SAME TIME AS SELS.