Welcome, fans all around the world, to Japan! We kick things off here with a 6.4km Prologue.
A number of strong riders who could take a victory here and wear the leaders jersey going into our first open road stage tomorrow.
Zhao is one of those who will be hoping for the leaders jersey after tomorrow and he puts in a good early time of 7'05.
We've had 2 surprising riders go quicker than Zhao but then it's Laengen who can only manage 7'06.
Kuboki will be bitterly disappointed as he can only muster 7'16.
Rajapakshage can only match Kuboki's time.
Gunman is provisional 4th with 7'06.
Gonzalez Salas just lives up to his favourite status as he sets the new best time, by milliseconds, of 7'00.
Hansen is 1 second slower and fills up 3rd spot.
Golovash struggles at + 19".
Arif Prayogo fares better with 7'05 and into provisional 6th.
Boudat is outside the Top 10 with 7'08.
Brandle is 5 seconds slower than Salas for 6th.
Frankiny is + 24".
Keough certainly would have hoped for more but maybe this is too long for him. He is 15th at + 9".
Alarcon is + 41" which is a fair chunk to have to make up.
Dunbar will be disappointed not to have gained more on other GC favourites as he is 17th at + 12".
Faglum Karlsson is + 6" which makes for good time vs Alarcon.
Quintana ends up + 27".
Shikai is + 10" which keeps him nicely in contention.
Carthy is even worse than Alarcon and loses 47 seconds.
Bernal goes + 14".
That finishes Day 1 and it's Mario Gonzales Salas, who was the favourite, winning it but not by much! Geoffroy Ngandamba put in the ride of his life for 2nd while his team mate Lasse Norman Hansen took 3rd.
None of the Top Favourites losing more than 40 seconds to one another.
Tour of Japan - Stage 1 Report 
