Casper wins Tour stage, Hincapie claims yellow jersey

STRASBOURG: France's Jimmy Casper outsprinted Australia's Robbie McEwen to win the Tour de France's first road stage on Sunday.

American George Hincapie, leader of Lance Armstrong's former Discovery Channel team, took the yellow jersey from Norway's Thor Hushovd who suffered a serious arm injury during the sprint and crashed after crossing the line.

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

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.

Points classification from the ProTour Tour de France after Stage 1 (Strasbourg - Strasbourg, 184 km) on Sunday.

Points:
1. Jimmy Casper (France, Cofidis) 35
2. Thor Hushovd (Norway, Credit Agricole) 32
3. Robbie McEwen (Australia, Davitamon-Lotto) 30
4. Erik Zabel (Germany, Milram) 26
5. Stuart O'Grady (Australia, Team CSC) 24
5. Daniele Bennati (Italy, Lampre) 24
7. Luca Paolini (Italy, Liquigas) 22
8. Isaac Galvez (Spain, Caisse d'Epargne) 20
9. Bernhard Eisel (Austria, Francaise des Jeux) 18
10. George Hincapie (US, Discovery Channel) 16
10. Oscar Freire (Spain, Rabobank) 16