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Lance keeps pace with leaders

Luxembourg - Cyril Lemoine of Saur-Sojasun took the overall lead in the Tour of Luxembourg on Thursday after Italian Giovanni Visconti, riding for ISD, won the first stage from Luxembourg to Hesperange.

Lemoine took the lead from fellow Frenchman and team-mate Jimmy Engoulvent, who won Wednesday's prologue after a snarl-up five kilometres from the line left the peloton trailing in his wake.

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, back in the saddle 15 days after crashing in the Tour of California, stands third overall after easily keeping in touch at the front of the peloton.

Visconti saw off Yauheni Hutarovich of Belarus and Slovenian Borut Bozic in a dash for the line after a 179.7km ride.

"I had to launch the sprint off my team leader Oscar Gatto, but he fell away and so I decided to go for the win," Visconti explained after his fifth stage success of the season.

Results of the first stage of the Tour of Luxembourg:

1. Giovanni Visconti, Italy, ISD-NERI, 4 hours, 29 minutes, 55 seconds.
2. Yauheni Hutarovich, Belarus, Francaise des Jeux, same time.
3. Borut Bozic, Slovenia, Vacansoleil, same time.
4. Sebastian Siedler, Germany, Vorarlberg, same time.
5. Aitor Galdos, Spain, Euskaltel, same time.
6. Ian Stannard, Britain, Sky, same time.
7. Serguei Ivanov, Russia, Katusha, same time.
8. Oscar Gatto, Italy, ISD-Neri, same time.
9. Michal Golas, Poland, Vacansoleil, same time.
10. Manuel Ortega Ocana, Andalucia-Cajasur, same time.

Selected others:

50. Lance Armstrong, United States, RadioShack, same time.
51. Frank Schleck, Luxembourg, Saxo Bank, same time.

Overall standings:

1. Cyril Lemoine, France, Saur-Sojasun, 4 hours, 33 minutes and 45 seconds.
2. Gregory Rast, Switzerland, RadioShack, same time.
3. Lance Armstrong, United States, RadioShack, one second behind.
4. Borut Bozic, Slovenia, Vacansoleil, :02.
5. Aitor Galdos, Spain, Euskaltel, same time.
6. Andreas Kloden, Germany, RadioShack, :04.
7. Giovanni Visconti, Italy, ISD-Neri, :05.
8. Kevin Ista, Belgium, Cofidis, same time.
9. Juan Antonio Flecha, Spain, Sky, :06.
10. Sandy Casar, France, Francaise des Jeux, same time.

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