Hushovd outwits fellow sprinters to take stage
ST BRIEUC, France (Reuters) - Norway's Thor Hushovd powered to his sixth victory on the Tour de France when he won a mass sprint to snatch the second stage on Sunday.
The Credit Agricole rider, who won the prologue in Strasbourg two years ago, outwitted his fellow sprinters in a nervous finish after 164.5 kms from Auray to St Brieuc.
He beat Team Columbia riders Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg and Gerald Ciolek of Germany.
It was not enough, however, to take the overall leader's yellow jersey off Alejandro Valverde's shoulders as the Spaniard of the Caisse d'Epargne team finished safe in the main bunch.
"I knew it was a sprint that could suit me but it was hard, with the wind and this turn towards the end," said Hushovd, who had his first Tour stage win in Bourg en Bresse in 2002.
"Tactically, the team did a good job with Jimmy (Engoulvent) and William (Bonnet)," said team manager Roger Legeay.
Valverde, who will wear the yellow jersey for Monday's third stage over 208 kms from St Malo to Nantes, said: "It was nice to wear it today, people were shouting my name all the way long."
Asked whether he could have won the stage, the 28-year-old Spaniard, one of the Tour's leading contenders, added: "No. This stage was more for the pure sprinters, because there was a flat part after the final ascent."
BURST OUT
France's Sylvain Chavanel and Thomas Voeckler broke away after a few kilometers of the stage to build a lead of five-and-a-half minutes but their advantage started to melt before they reached the intimidating Cote of Mur-de-Bretagne, a 1.5-km ascent at an average gradient of 8.5 percent.
Compatriots Christophe Moreau and David Le Lay, who was born in St Brieuc, joined them at the summit.
The Francaise des Jeux team, defending Philippe Gilbert's green jersey for the best sprinter and Caisse d'Epargne, protecting Valverde's overall lead, increased the pace with 50 kms remaining.
Gert Steegmans's Quick Step team, anticipating a mass sprint, joined the effort as the bunch caught up with the breakaways less than two kms from the finish.
Swiss Fabian Cancellara, a time-trial specialist, tried his luck alone with one km to go but he was soon caught by Filippo Pozzato, a winner in St Brieuc four years ago, and the peloton.
Hushovd waited for the last 100 meters to burst out of the bunch, proving the smartest of the field to claim his sixth win of the season.
Last year's best climber Juan Mauricio Soler, who injured his arm and wrists in a crash on Saturday, was dropped from the peloton 25 kms from the finish and crossed the line more than seven minutes behind the winner, his face a mask of pain.
"He will have a new scan tomorrow or the day after tomorrow because we can't see yet if he has a fracture (in his left wrist), said his Barloworld manager, Claudio Corti.
(Editing by Clare Fallon and Justin Palmer)
