Hushovd sprints to win in second stage of Tour
Associated Press
Published July 6, 2008 at 9:19 a.m.
Photo by Laurent Rebours/Associated Press
Thor Hushovd of Norway, grimaces as he crosses the finish line to win the second stage of the Tour de France on Sunday.
SAINT-BRIEUC, France — Sprint specialist Thor Hushovd of Norway won the second stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, and Alejandro Valverde of Spain kept the overall lead on a windy, rain-splattered ride through the Brittany countryside.
Valverde finished in the trailing pack and retained the yellow jersey after the mostly flat 102-mile route from Auray to Saint-Brieuc.
Hushovd, who rides for the Credit Agricole team, won a Tour stage for the sixth time. He bolted from the pack with about 50 yards to go and finished in 3 hours, 45 minutes, 13 seconds. Team Columbia riders Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg and Gerald Ciolek of Germany were second and third.
Valverde, the Caisse d'Epargne team leader, is a second in front of Kirchen and Spanish sprint star Oscar Freire.
Four teams took blood tests before the stage, and all 36 riders were cleared to race. Riders from Lampre, Team CSC, Columbia and Saunier Duval were tested by the French Anti-Doping Agency.
The International Cycling Union, the governing body, is not involved in testing at this year's race because of its long-standing dispute with the Tour.
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