Australian Robbie McEwen won the second stage of the Tour de France in Belgium on Monday, held over 197km between Charleroi and Namur.
Norway’s Thor Hushovd, who finished second, retained the race leader’s yellow jersey ahead of Tuesday’s third stage, the last to be held in Belgium, over 210km between Waterloo and Wasquehal.
The second stage, held in welcome dry conditions, was brought to life by a six-man breakaway that built up a maximum lead of five minutes before being caught shortly before the finish.
Five-time winner Lance Armstrong, of the US Postal team, remained out of harm’s way and was still within touching distance of the yellow jersey being worn by Hushovd.
Unlike Monday’s first stage proper, the falls and crashes were kept to a minimum although towards the end Italian Gian Matteo Fagnini was forced to abandon the race with a suspected collarbone fracture after a small pile-up that left the Domina Vacanze rider in a field.
Further on, Cofidis rider Frederic Bessy also ended up on the side of the road after a crash with another rider, although the Frenchman was able to ride on, albeit in some pain, while Stefano Casagranda also crashed.
And in the final 200m, Jimmy Caspar and Kurt-Asle Aversen collided and crashed out.
Italian Paolo Bettini, the Quick Step rider who is the reigning World Cup champion, finished the stage assured of the polka-dot jersey for the race’s best climber after claiming a maximum of points on the first sprint. — Sapa-AFP