Tour de France 2014 Riders Get Royal Send-Off From Kate Middleton, Prince William & Prince Harry—See the Photos!

The cyclists looked very pleased to meet the duchess!

By Corinne Heller Jul 05, 2014 4:50 PMTags
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Kate MiddletonAsadour Guzelian - WPA Pool/Getty Images

The 2014 Tour de France bicyclists got a royal send-off and many could not help but smile as they were greeted by the lovely Kate Middleton!

Wearing a chic emerald green coat dress and nude heels, the Duchess of Cambridge cut a white ribbon at a ceremony marking the official start of the 2,277-mile race at Harewood House in Leeds, England on Saturday, July 5. She attended the event with husband Prince William and his brother Prince Harry and greeted riders such as British rider Mark Cavendish (pictured above), who unfortunately crashed his bike later in the day. Kate and William did not bring their 11-month-old baby, Prince George.

Thousands of spectators gathered at the venue, according to BBC News, while a brass band played the United Kingdom's national anthem, the Harrogate Adviser newspaper reported.

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The bicyclists, who are taking part in the 101st Tour de France, are set to travel through the United Kingdom, Belgium and Spain and finish the race at the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France on July 27.

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Later on Saturday, German rider Marcel Kittel won the first leg of the race and Kate presented him with a yellow jersey at the finishing line in Harrogate, BBC News reported.

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Unfortunately, Cavendish crashed his bike 250 metres from the finish line and was hospitalized with an injured shoulder, the U.K. newspaper The Guardian reported. The three royals witnessed the fall.

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