While the prologue time trial got the Tour de France under way in Dublin on Saturday the racing really started yesterday with stage one of 180 kilometres from Dundrum through Wicklow to the Phoenix Park. In a hectic finish Belgian champion Tom Steels of the Mapei team won but England's Chris Boardman retained the yellow jersey.
With all the breakaway attempts nullified the pack of 189 were together entering the Phoenix Park with a little over a kilometre to go before setting out on the finishing lap of seven kilometres but Italian sprinter Mario Cipollini was one of three members of the Saeco team involved in a six-man crash and they lost three minutes and 40 seconds.
In the final charge to the line many of the other team's sprinters were all in with chances until Telekom's Erik Zabel went to the front but he got there just a shade too early and he could not hold off the final surge of Steels.
During last year's first week of the Tour Steels was disqualified for the infamous bottle throwing incident. He was annoyed when some rivals cut across him in a fast stage end sprint and he hurled his plastic feeding bottle as they were still racing towards the line.
Last Sunday week Steels won the Belgian championship and he was so impressive as he led the charge for the line yesterday that further successes may be in store over the next few days. He said he was delighted to win so early in the Tour. "Last year I got more nervous as the days passed without success and eventually I lost my cool. I have learned from all that and my confidence is at a high point now."
After his prologue time trial win on Saturday Boardman was satisfied to finish 39th yesterday and although Steels earned a bonus of 20 seconds for winning, with 12 seconds to Zabel and eight seconds for the third man, Robbie McEwen of Rabobank, there were no changes to the top places overall. Boardman still leads by four seconds from Abraham Olano (Banesto) with Laurent Jalabert (ONCE) third another second behind closely followed by Bobby Julich (Cofidis), Christophe Moreau (Festina) and Jan Ullrich (Telekom).
After the impressive start from O'Connell Street and the neutralised spin to Dundrum the first bonus sprint at Bray went to Jan Svorada of Mapei from Zabel and Frederic Moncassin (Gan). The first break of the Tour followed when Emmanuel Magnien (La Francais des Jeux), Stephane Barthe (Casino) and Magnus Backstedt (GAN) gained a shortlived advantage.
Then a group of seven forged ahead and quickly built up a lead of over three minutes. Included were Jacky Durand (Casino), Stefano Zanini (Mapei), Francisco Benitez (Vitalicio), Paul van Hyfte (Lotto), Jose de Los Angeles (Kelme), Mirco Crepeldi (Polti) and one of Boardman's teammates Jens Voigt.
In the Arklow bonus sprint Zanini won from Durand and Crepaldi and this put Durand the leader on the road as the gap went to 3:40. On the Wicklow Gap climb into the strong wind Voigt, who had been sitting in behind the others went to take over the polka dot jersey but Zanini got back up to him and beat him at the top with Benitez third.
As the lead came down to 1:25 the breakaways were in obvious danger of being reeled in on the descent but they were still out in front at Blessington where Durand earned the six seconds bonus with a great surge. Just as they were about to be overhauled van Hyfter went ahead and was rejoined by Durand and they pressed on and their lead went back up to a minute.
Durand and van Hyfter were eventually caught at Walkinstown and then the real battle of tactics began with each team trying to keep the pace going fast and lead out their sprinters. Only 100 metres inside the Phoenix Park two of Cipollini's team-mates bumped in front of him and as one fell Cipollini had no chance of avoiding him and down he went too.
An obviously dazed Cipollini eventually got going surrounded by six other Saeco men but for them the stage was gone and they just survived to fight another day.
After Steels flashed across the line ahead of Zabel and McEwen fourth place went to Gian Matteo Fagnini (Saeco) followed by Nicola Minali (Riso Scotti) and Frederic Moncassin.
There is a 10 a.m. start in Enniscorthy today for the 205 kilometres second stage to Cork and while Boardman stays in the yellow jersey Steels takes over in green as points leader with Zanini in the polka dot jersey.
