French sprinter Bryan Coquard edged Italy's Elia Viviani in a bunch sprint for victory on stage one of the Route d'Occitanie in southern France on Saturday. Many of cycling's top stars were on the starting line including Egan Bernal and Chris Froome of Ineos, while French climber Thibaut Pinot fell late on in the race. "It came down to the bike throw," Coquard said, of the cycling tactic where the rider shifts backwards of his seat while shoving the front of the bike suddenly forwards. Reigning Tour de France champion Bernal finished sixth on the day. He said he had come to the race "to enjoy the feeling of racing again and at the same time sharpen my fitness for the Tour". "The key thing is to have a good time. We are so happy to get involved in a race, see the other teams and all that," Bernal said with the delayed 2020 Tour set to get underway in four weeks' time. Four-time Tour de France champion Froome was down in 70th place, 56 seconds behind Coquard. The 35-year-old British rider is in the last year of his Ineos deal and will ride for Israel Start-Up Nation next season. clv/dmc/mw/dj