(Phil Wrochna is managing editor of firstoffthebike.com and Radio SEN's cycling commentator. He will be filing daily his Touroscopy for BPL over the next three weeks.)

The x-ray machines were out in force at the start of the first stage of the Tour de France on Sunday.

The paranoia came about after two Italian journalists hatched a wickedly good video explaining that bike doping was the new 'cheating', so as a result, A. Schleck, Cancellara, Fuglsang, Armstrong, Wiggins, Flecha, Boasson Hagen, Basso, Zabriskie, T. Martin, Monfort, Vogondy, L.L. Sanchez, and Costa all had their bikes x-rayed for the small motor the Italian journalists claim is supposed to add another 50 watts of power for the rider. Funnily enough, they were all clean.

But enough about Bikegate. The day was all about the sprinters and for the big GC riders it was all about staying out of trouble and out of the wind that blows in from the North Sea. Easier said than done. Just ask Adam Hansen.

Hansen, one of Mick Rogers lieutenants, hit the deck early and had a hard chase to rejoin the bunch. There was the usual break away by three riders who were more intent on getting TV exposure time for their sponsors than getting the win. For they know that their time in the sun is limited and that three riders are no match for the collective power of the peloton. And with eight kilometres to go all the escapees were caught and it was time for the big sprinters and their teams to do their thing.

The finish proved to be more dramatic than anyone anticipated. The run into town caused all the problems with two huge crashes marring what would have been a sprinters royale. Italian Alessandro Petacchi survived the carnage to claim the win and the lead in the green jersey (points) competition. The GC status quo remained. Post race Lance Armstrong echoed most of the GC rider's thoughts when he tweeted "That was S-T-R-E-S-S-F-U-L!! Managed to make it to the finish in one piece. Amazing how much more intense the TdF is vs any other race".

Who's Hot

The sprinters teams - Most of the teams made the run into the finish dramatic and fast. They reeled in the break away and made a mammoth spectacle of the finish.

Alesandro Petacchi - The Italian known as the Ale Jet is the true survivor of the peloton. Like he did in the Tour de Suisse when the carnage ensued he manages to get himself out of trouble. This makes it win number 164 for the great survivor.

The Breakaway three - Lars Boom, Maarten Wynants and Alan Perez made the day's racing with a break away of over 190km.

Who's Not

The course - What were the organisers thinking by making the course hit a sharp and impossible right hander 2km before the end? It ended the day of Mark Cavendish and Oscar Friere.

Adam Hansen -More unlucky than anything else Hansen was a victim to one of the two early crashes. He spent time with the doctors and is said to have fractured his collarbone

Stage 1 Results

Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini   5:09:38

Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia

Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team

Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha

Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux

Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo

General Classification

Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank   5:19:38

Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia 0:00:10

David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Transitions 0:00:20

Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack 0:00:22

Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team 0:00:23

Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:00:27

Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions 0:00:28

Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack

Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team 0:00:32

Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram 0:00:35

Green Jersey

Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini  35  pts

Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia 30

Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team 26

Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha 24

Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux 22