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Stage 1, today we're in Copenhagen.

It's 4 o'clock, local time here in Copenhagen and right on cue the rain started falling again.

Jeremy Le Croc of B&B hotels had just ridden down the start ramp.

I didn't look to be taking it too gingerly. The roads were wet.

We had a real downpour about an hour and a half before the start.

The weathermen and the women told us that there was no chance of rain before 5 o'clock.

Like all speculation, that was there to be shot down in flames.

It's going to be a very different proposition this afternoon in Copenhagen, isn't it?

It's going to be all the more intriguing as you said.

The weather is quite different from what was expected.

24 hours ago the teams were asked to pick the times for each rider to start.

This is one of the privilege they have in the first stage of the Tour de France to decide at what time in the stage they can start.

Given the weather forecast yesterday, all teams decided that the best riders would start before 5 o'clock.

I talked to Matt White at the buses and he told me, well that's what we were told.

No chance of rain before 5 o'clock. So we were all the good guys before.

So now all the best guys would probably be riding in the rain and which is for sure on slippery terrain.

So it's going to make the rest even more intriguing, even more dangerous and let's hope for the best.

Well the first few riders of the 176 are rolling out now.

In a few minutes time one of the real favourites for the stage, Stefan Bissiger of EF Education Easy Post will roll down that start ramp as well.

And we've just been joined by Mitch Docker, the third member of our cycling podcast, Trio for the opening week of the Tour de France.

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