MONT DES ALOUETTES, France - Philippe Gilbert won the first stage of the Tour de France to take the yellow jersey, while defending champion Alberto Contador lost more than a minute after a late crash.
Gilbert, a Belgian rider who dazzled fans by winning three classics races in April, sped ahead from the pack in the final several hundred yards and kissed his jersey as he crossed the line Saturday.
"It was the last 500 meters, I had a lead … (and) I went for it," Gilbert said. "It was an extreme effort and I was able to take advantage."
Gilbert, who has notched 13 victories between race and stage wins this year, was a favorite to win the opening stage. He clocked 4 hours, 41 minutes, 31 seconds for the sun-baked 119-mile ride from La Barre-de-Monts to Mont des Alouettes.
Two-time Tour runner-up Cadel Evans of Australia was second, three seconds back - making him the best performer among the expected title contenders.
People are also reading…
But two-time runner-up Andy Schleck and his Leopard-Trek teammates put themselves in an ideal position to claim the yellow jersey in today's team time trial.
Schleck lost last year's Tour to Contador by 39 seconds after a bike mishap by Schleck let the Spaniard ride away. On Saturday, Schleck finished the first stage behind Contador after being caught in a crash near the finish. But Schleck benefited from a rule that gave him the same time as the riders who were with him during the accident.
With the tables turned, Schleck leads his Spanish rival by 1 minute and 14 seconds and trails race leader Gilbert by only six seconds, a small margin that Schleck's strong Leopard-Trek outfit can erase today.
The team was launched this season around brothers Andy and Frank Schleck and lured several riders from Contador's team Saxo Bank. It is regarded as one of the most powerful in the race against the clock.
"If there is a chance to get the yellow jersey, we'll take it," Leopard-Trek sports director Kim Andersen said.
Should the team win the 14-mile stage in Les Essarts, Linus Gerdemann would don the prestigious shirt as he is the best-placed rider from the team in 11th position overall. Schleck, in 33rd place, took advantage of a rule stipulating that riders involved in a crash within the last 2 miles of the stage are credited with the same time as the pack they were in.
Contador was slowed down by another pile-up about 5 1/2 miles from the end and could not benefit from the rule. Astana rider Maxim Iglinskiy knocked shoulders with a fan on the roadside, causing a mass crash that split the pack. About 40 riders stayed in front. Contador finished 1:20 after Gilbert and is 82nd overall.
"Cycling is not just about pedaling, it's also important to ride with your brain and stay up front in such conditions," Schleck said.
Schleck, who criticized Contador for dropping him last year in the Pyrenees after the Luxembourg rider's chain came off, said he was not aware that the Spaniard was among the group caught in the first crash.
Among other possible title contenders, Levi Leipheimer is 38th, and Briton Bradley Wiggins trails in 50th place - all six seconds behind.
Today
• What: Stage 2
• TV: 5 a.m., Versus; noon (tape delayed), Ch 4
On Becky Burke’s defiance, Tommy Lloyd’s frustration, UA softball’s strategy | Michael Lev
