Frenchman Christophe Moreau won the Tour de France prologue in front of a jubilant home crowd in Dunkirk. The Festina team leader who finished fourth in last year’s Tour, clocked a devastating time of 9mins and 20secs for the 8.2km course. He powered home ahead of Spaniard Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano of the ONCE team, while Lance Armstrong of the US Postal Team could only place third.

Britain’s David Millar, who won the prologue last year, crashed out and finished a disappointing 110th. The Cofidis rider had been tipped as the favourite to win but fell on the final corners near the finish.

Prologue Results

1st Christophe Moreau Festina) 9mins 20secs

2nd Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano @ 3secs

3rd Lance Armstrong @ 4secs

4th Jan Ullrich @ 7secs

5th Florent Brard @ 7secs

6th Santiago Botero @ 10secs

7th Joseba Beloki @ 13secs

8th Stuart O’Grady @ 13secs

9th Carlos Sastre @ 14secs

10th Antonio Tauler @ 14secs

110th David Millar @ 42 secs