Tour de France 2006 preamble begins

Posted on July 7, 2006
Filed Under Sports

Rider Casper nailed his first victory in the Tour de France when he out sprinted the favorites to win Sunday’s first phase. He can sprint, climb mountains and excel at time trials. And, Casper now has the Tour de France’s famed yellow jersey after the opening weekend.

American George Hincapie earned two bonus seconds in the third intermediate sprint, took the overall leader’s yellow jersey from Norway’s Thor Hushovd.

On Sunday Hincapie became the fourth American joining seven-time winner Armstrong, three-time winner Greg LeMond and time trial specialist David Zabriskie to take the Tour leader’s “maillot jaune.”

Rolling out of the main pack of racers, Hincapie picked up 2 seconds by placing third in the sprint. That more than erased the tiny advantage Hushovd had held after Saturday’s prologue and gave him the race lead. Whether 33-year-old Hincapie can go on to become the undoubted leader of his Discovery Channel squad a spot left vacant since Armstrong retired last year remains to be seen.

Rivalry within the team is intense with Hincapie, Italian Paolo Savoldelli, Portugal’s Jose Azevedo and Ukrainian Yaroslav Popovych all of them as possible title contenders.

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