Brest, France- The 95th edition of the Tour de France got underway on Saturday, with a regular stage and no short prologue for the first time in 42 years, and also without the defending champion.

The 180 riders from 20 teams started the three-week action over 197.5 kilometres from Brest to Plumelec. The Tour features two time trials and five mountain stages before it ends on July 27 on the Champs Elysees in Paris. There will be two rest days as well.

The 2007 winner Alberto Contador of Spain was not present as his Astana team was not invited because of its doping-tainted past. The team also features two overall podium finishers from the past, Levi Leipheimer of the United States and German Andreas Kloeden.

Favourites include the 2007 runner-up Cadel Evans of Australia, Spain's Alejandro Valverde, Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland and Russian Denis Menchov.

The 2008 Tour is run with the help of the French cycling federation and the nation's anti-doping agency, and not the ruling cycling body UCI, due to a long-standing dispute with Tour organizers ASO. (dpa)