Marcel Kittel emerged triumphant from a thrilling sprint finish to the first stage of the Tour of Britain on Sunday, with Mark Cavendish crossing the line in third place.
Germany's Kittel (Giant-Shimano) completed the Liverpool stage in two hours, 16 minutes and 35 seconds, just ahead of second-placed Italian Nicola Ruffoni (Bardiani-CSF) and Briton Cavendish (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), who is still recovering from shoulder surgery following his Tour de France-ending crash.
American Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) was fourth, with another home favourite in Ben Swift coming fifth.
Swift's compatriot, Team Sky colleague and defending champion Sir Bradley Wiggins, was safely within the peloton, finishing 74th.
The tour comes to Sussex on Saturday, going via Petworth, Horsham, Haywards Heath, Hailsham, Beachy Head, Lewes and Ditchling Beacon.
It finishes on the seafront at Brighton.
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