Slovakia’s Peter Sagan won the first stage of the Tour de France in Belgium on Sunday, but the favourite to win, Britain’s Bradley Wiggins, is still firmly in the race for the yellow jersey.

Twenty-two-year-old Sagan came in just ahead of Olympic champion, Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara, and Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway. Commentators say Sagan is expected to fall behind in the mountain stages of the Tour, later in the race.

This year’s tour began on Saturday with a Prologue instead of a first stage in a 7km loop around the city of Liege. Cancellara won the race opener in 7 minutes 13 seconds. Wiggins came in just ahead of Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel with 7’20″51.

Despite Wiggins being the favourite to win, this year’s race is considered more open than ever as two of the main contenders for the title are out: 2010 champion Andy Schleck sustained a spinal injury during the Criterium du Dauphine but hopes to recover for the London Olympics; and Spain’s Alberto Contador is banned from racing due to a doping case from the 2010 Tour, which he won only to later have that victory overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Wiggins, who turned professional in 2002, won two golds medals at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics.