The Hindu : Sport / Cycling : Hincapie takes yellow jersey

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 04, 2006

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Sport - Cycling

Hincapie takes yellow jersey

ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE: The Tour de France sped off Monday into neighbouring Luxembourg on a relatively flat second stage expected to favour sprinters.

American George Hincapie was wearing the race leader's yellow jersey for the first time in his 12-year career.

Judging from his early form at the first Tour of the post-Lance Armstrong era, Hincapie is emerging as a serious contender to succeed his one-time boss.

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 yellow jersey.

Hincapie made a claim for front-runner status in a race looking for favourites, after 1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich and last year's runner-up Ivan Basso were among nine riders forced out over doping allegations. Hincapie, a New York native who now lives in Greenville, South Carolina, was runner-up in Saturday's prologue by a split-second to Thor Hushovd of Norway.

Italy's Danilo di Luca, the winner of the 2005 ProTour series, has pulled out with a urinary infection, his Liquigas team said. — Agencies

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