Norway’s Thor Hushovd seized the Tour de France leader’s yellow jersey after his Garmin-Cervelo team won the 23km second stage, a team time-trial in Les Essarts on Sunday.
The American outfit covered the course in 24 minutes and 48 seconds at an average speed of 55.6km/h, beating compatriots BMC by four seconds. Britain’s Team Sky were third, clocking the same time as BMC.
First stage winner Philippe Gilbert of Belgium lost the yellow jersey after his Omega Pharma Lotto team finished 40 seconds behind the winners.
Hushovd seized the lead because he was his team’s best-placed rider after finishing third in Saturday’s first stage in Mont des Alouettes. His British team mate David Millar is now second overall in the same time.
Australia’s Cadel Evans, who beat Hushovd by three seconds for second place on Saturday, is close up in third place overall, just one second behind the two Garmin-Cervelo riders.
Monday’s third stage is a 198km trek between Olonne sur Mer and Redon. – Reuters