Casper stuns, Hushovd hurt
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ByEurosport
Published 02/07/2006 at 15:37 GMT
Jimmy Casper blew past Tom Boonen to claim a shock sprint win in the first stage of the Tour de France on Sunday. Prologue victor Thor Hushovd did not play a role in the sprint after injuring himself on a spectator's camera near the line, losing his yello
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Boonen launched the sprint with about 500 metres left to ride, but Casper far too easily blasted past the world champion, who gave up in the last 100 metres as Robbie McEwen and Erik Zabel claimed second and third.
In a bizarre twist to what has already been a Tour de France filled with surprises and controversy, Hushovd, the race's first yellow jersey, was apparently hit by a spectator's camera, hidden behind an oversized-green novelty hand, as he sprinted along the right barrier.
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CYCLING 2006 Tour de France Thor Hushovd Credit Agricole blood yellow stage one slideshow
Image credit: Reuters
Immediately after the race the Norwegian fell to the ground in pain, bleeding all over the yellow jersey with a large gash on his right hand.
Hushovd, who ultimately finished ninth in the sprint, was then taken to the hospital.
"We managed to stop the bleeding. It's a deep wound but not a serious one," said doctor Gerard Porte, head of the Tour medical team.
"It will require stitches and maybe a scan but I think he should be able to start the second stage tomorrow (Monday)."
Discovery discovers leader
Thanks in part to the strange turn of events, Discovery's Hincapie was allowed to take the yellow jersey after the 33-year-old received two bonus seconds for finishing third in the day's final intermediate sprint, and then finishing in the peloton.
Hincapie is seeking to succeed former team-mate Lance Armstrong as his team's leader, and the champion of the Tour de France.
"Yesterday I was very disappointed, I really wanted to take yellow but it's only happened today," Hincapie, who finished second behind Hushovd in Saturday's prologue, told Eurosport after the stage.
"With the breakaway, it was difficult to get them back - we hadn't planned for it. When I saw that the sprinters were going to go for it, I went for it at the third intermediate sprint and got the two seconds bonus that made the difference.
"Am I the new patron of Discovery? Well, I'm in very good shape and we'll have to see."
Casper's beautiful win
"It's the most beautiful day in my life," said Casper, whose victory gave him the green jersey.
"The door opened at the right time for me in this sprint. I hope I can repeat this feat."
The French Cofidis rider had never even finished on a Tour de France podium in his seven-year pro career, and the victory was his biggest.
Casper won the Tour de Picardie and earlier this year and fared well at his first Tour de France seven years ago, but Sunday's victory was a complete surprise.
The rest of the jerseys
After finishing first in a break-away at the first categorised climb of the Grande Boucle, the Cat. 4 Cote de Helligenstein, Gerolsteiner's Fabian Wegmann claims the polka-dot jersey.
France's 24-year-old Benoit Vaugrenard (Française des Jeux) claimed the white jersey for the best young rider after staying in the same seven-man break-away for much of the day.
On Monday the Tour travels to Luxembourg on a 228-km trip from Obernai to Esch-sur-Alzette. With several smaller categorised climbs, another sprint finish is a distinct possibility.
Follow LIVE coverage of the Tour de France for the next three weeks right here on www.eurosport.com.
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