CNN  — 

Norway’s Alexander Kristoff won a crash-filled opening stage of the 2020 Tour de France after a sprint finish in treacherous conditions on Nice’s Promenade des Anglais on Saturday, claiming the yellow jersey for the first time in his career.

The 156 km (97 miles) stage started and finished in the French Riviera’s biggest city, but the unseasonable conditions with persistent rain saw a number of high-profile contenders hit the tarmac in bruising falls.

Kristoff was among the casualties but benefited from a “truce” called by leading riders in the peloton, which slowed dramatically for safety reasons, allowing victims of crashes to catch up and contest the finish.