Kirsipuu wins first stage of Tour de France

ESTONIAN Jaan Kirsipuu won the first stage of the Tour de France yesterday, edging out Robbie McEwen and Thor Hushovd in a thrilling sprint finish.

Kirsipuu, who rides for AG2R Prevoyance, held his nerve in the final stages to take the 202.5-kilometre stage from Liege to Charleroi in Belgium.

Prologue winner Fabian Cancellara, the Swiss who rides for Fassa Bortolo, holds onto the leader’s yellow jersey, ahead of Norwegian Hushovd, who is competing for Credit Agricole.

Cancellara, who finished in the peloton, leads by two seconds from Hushovd, with Lance Armstrong third.

American Armstrong, the US Postal rider aiming for a record sixth Tour triumph, was classified 48th in the stage and is eight seconds adrift of Cancellara.

Today’s 197-km second stage takes the peloton from Charleroi to Namur, a route that begins and ends in Belgium and passes through France for the first time in this year’s edition of the Tour.