Casper sprints to maiden win

France's Jimmy Casper clinched his first victory in the Tour de France when he outsprinted the favourites to win yesterday's first stage.

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

Hushovd, who won Saturday's prologue ahead of Hincapie, suffered a serious arm injury during the mass sprint finish and crashed after crossing the line.

The result of the first road stage of the Tour meant the yellow jersey would be worn again by a Discovery Channel rider for the first time since Lance Armstrong retired last year after winning his seventh consecutive Tour de France.

"On Saturday I was very disappointed because I wanted this yellow jersey so badly," said New Yorker Hincapie.

"Today it's a dream come true. When I saw the breakaway was caught, I knew I had a chance to grab seconds in the last intermediate sprint."

Casper, riding for the Cofidis team, surged as he approached the line at the end of a 184.5-km loop from and back to Strasbourg, with an incursion into Germany.

Australia's Robbie McEwen, winner of three sprint finishes during the last Giro d'Italia, was second just ahead of German Erik Zabel (Milram), who claimed the green jersey for a record six times consecutively from 1996 and 2001.

"It's the most beautiful day in my life," said Casper, whose victory gave him the green jersey.

Today's second stage will take the peloton over 228.5 kilometres from Obernai to Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg.