Mark Cavendish vomits on the road as he struggles on stage one of Tour de France

Mark Cavendish appeared to vomit as he struggled on a gruelling stage one of the Tour de France.

This year’s Tour began with the Grand Depart in Florence, the first time the race has started in Italy in its 121-year history.

The opening route was unusually testing, with several hard climbs from the off in searing 35C heat, and it left several riders lagging behind the peloton.

Cavendish was one of those and he could be seen being cooled down by teammates as well as rivals, who used water bottles to soak his neck, and the 39-year-old Manxman was seemingly sick on one of the early climbs as he fought to keep in the race.

Cavendish, who shares the record for the most stages won at the Tour de France with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx, was flanked closely by Astana Qazaqstan teammates Michele Gazzoli and Cees Bol as he tried to stay within the day’s time limit.

Frenchman Romain Bardet won the stage to claim the yellow jersey for the first time in his career, at the start of his final Tour de France.

Cavendish had said last year would be his last Tour de France as he contemplated retirement, but he is back for what is expected to be the final time, as he chases that elusive, record 35th stage.

“I’m more ready now than I was last year,” he said on Friday. “I’m so happy I carried on.”