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Casper wins stage, Hincapie grabs the yellow jersey

Breakaway riders negotiate a curve during the 184.5km first stage of the 93rd Tour de France cycling race from Strasbourg to Strasbourg on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

Jimmy Casper of France won a sprint finish to take the first stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, while George Hincapie of the US took the overall lead.

Norwegian cyclist Thor Hushovd, winner of the opening prologue, sliced open his right arm and bled profusely after being squeezed against the barriers that line the route in the final sprint.

Hushovd had been the leader going into the first stage after capturing Saturday's time trial, but Hincapie picked up bonus time on a sprint section of Sunday's course.

The New York native was due to wear the coveted race leader's yellow jersey for the first time yesterday in the second stage of the three-week race.

Hincapie rode with Lance Armstrong on all of his record seven Tour victories, but Hincapie can make his own mark in the race with the Texan now retired.

"I'm in very good shape," said Hincapie, adding that he'd been "very disappointed" to lose to Hushovd by a split second on Saturday.

Hincapie is the fourth American to earn the yellow jersey after Armstrong, three-time Tour champion Greg LeMond and time-trial specialist David Zabriskie.

"I really wanted the yellow jersey," Hincapie said. It was "a big accomplishment for me. If I could hold it for another day or two that would be great."

Hincapie, 33, is among the new favorites after the Tour was blown wide open by the withdrawal of top contenders Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich on Friday because of doping allegations.

Hincapie showed last year he can be a force in the mountains that come later by winning a brutal stage in the Pyrenees. On Sunday, he showed race savvy.

He seemed to surprise Hushovd by racing ahead of the main pack heading into the last of three intermediate sprint stages along the 184.5km.

Those sprints offer bonus seconds to the first three riders that go through. Hincapie was third, picking up two seconds, more than enough to make up the milliseconds he lost to Hushovd on Saturday.

``I saw an opportunity that I couldn't pass up. I took it and I think I made a great decision,'' he said.

Hushovd's main goal is the best sprinter's green jersey, which he won last year. He's not seen as a threat for overall victory because he tends to struggle in the mountains.
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