Samuel Dumoulin of AG2R took the leader's yellow and blue jersey from George Hincapie in his home town after winning stage two in a four-man break-away which came home three-minutes ahead of the peloton. The Frenchman out-sprinted compatriots Anthony Charteau and Frédéric Finot to the line.

The three Frenchmen, along with Frédéric Bessy of Cofidis, escaped the peloton, and rode in front for most of the 187-km stage around the Beaujolais hills, with both Dumoulin and Bessy attacking a mere five minutes after the start, and being joined by Finot (Fran?aise de Jeux) and Charteau (Bouygues) after 25-km.

VICTORY FOR LOCAL BOY

With 100 km left to ride the four Frenchman had built up a lead of over twenty minutes, only to see the gap slowly whittled down by the peloton towards the finish.

But the Gallic riders held on, and once Bessy faded with three-kilometres to go, Dumoulin - a sprinter by trade, and the peloton's smallest rider at a diminutive 1.60 metres - was the clear favourite to surge to victory in his home town of Chauffailles.

That he did, pipping Charteau and Finot on the line, and in doing so taking the overall lead from American George Hincapie (Discovery) who finished in the peloton over three minutes back. Once off his bike, the ecstatic 24-year-old fell into the arms of his parents who had, along with the whole region, come to cheer him on.

There was nothing run-of-the-mill about Dumoulin's ride on Tuesday, the local-boy clearly attacking early on with a distinct agenda. What was remarkable, however, was the fact that the 2002 Tour of Normandy winner was able to stay out in front for the whole stage, atavistically fleeing the pursuers alongside his fellow comrades, before seeking his prize.

FAVOURITES AWAIT TIME-TRIAL

The peloton was led in 3'16" later by South African sprinter Robert Hunter (Phonak) who beat off the challenge from Monday's stage one winner Thor Hushovd (Cr��dit Agricole) and Australian Stuart O'Grady (Cofidis).

With a tough individual time-trial in Roanne on the agenda for Wednesday, the favourites for overall victory were happy to let the four Frenchmen steal the limelight.

The progress of six-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will be watched at close quarters by his rivals over Wednesday's hefty 46.5-km tricky course for it will be the American's last test of such kind before the defence of his Tour crown.

Armstrong, bidding to win the world's most famous cycling race for a seventh successive time, finished Tuesday's second stage safely in the peloton alongside team-mate and prologue winner George Hincapie.

Source: CRI News