Britain launches Tour de France

Against a backdrop of terror attacks, a packed sporting and music calendar, a Tube derailment plus weeks of lousy weather, London pulled out all the stops.

Even the baking sun came out to greet the world's best endurance riders and the million people who crowded into central London from early in the morning.

But there was no much longed-for home-soil victory as Londoner and Olympic pursuit champ Bradley Wiggins came fourth in the Prologue Speed Trial which decides who puts on the famous yellow jersey for Sunday's first stage through London and Kent.

After waving off the first rider on Whitehall, London Mayor Ken Livingstone said he was: "Amazed, astounded and very pleased indeed," by the colourful turn-out. "The only thing that has been more amazing is that after months of awful weather that the summer came out for it."

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said it had been a "significant success" in policing terms while London's Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy added: "This is brilliant and we should do it again."

All agreed it will be useful in preparing for the 2012 Olympics. In a carnival atmosphere, crowds six-deep began lining the finish on The Mall.

One-by-one the 189 cyclists completed a lap against the clock around central London, reaching average speeds of 44mph that could trigger speed cameras. At its busiest, in the height of the tourist season, central London was turned into a traffic-free sterile zone. In total 4,500 officers were being deployed over the Tour weekend.

The day was also the second anniversary of the July 7 suicide bombings and the victims were not forgotten. Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, who helped start the time trial, said it had been an "excellent day".

He said: "It is even better than I expected I'm happy that Londoners have not forgotten their terrorist threat. I am very happy for Londoners that everything has gone so well. It is a great lesson for the love of life."