Petacchi wins first TDF stage

Brussels - Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland retained the race leader's yellow jersey after the crash-marred Tour de France first stage won by Alessandro Petacchi of Lampre on Sunday.

Italian sprinter Petacchi, making his first appearance at the race in more than five years, upset predictions when he finished a reduced bunch sprint ahead of Australian Mark Renshaw and Norwegian Thor Hushovd.

Numerous crashes occurred in the closing kilometres of the 223.5km ride from Rotterdam to Brussels, leaving many of the top favourites for stage victory out of the running.

Spanish fast man Oscar Freire, of Rabobank, was brought down along with Cervelo's Jeremy Hunt when the Briton took a wrong turn on a tight bend with two kilometres to go.

Another massive crash with just a kilometre to go further reduced the peloton.

British sprint king Mark Cavendish was among the big names also left out of contention for a stage in which he was a huge favourite.

Cancellara took the yellow jersey on Saturday when he won the race's opening prologue over 8.9km in Rotterdam.

Stage One Results:

1. Alessandro Petacchi, Italy, Lampre-Farnese, 5 hours, 9 minutes, 38 seconds.
2. Mark Renshaw, Australia, Team HTC-Columbia, same time.
3. Thor Hushovd, Norway, Cervelo Test Team, same time.
4. Robbie McEwen, Australia, Katusha, same time.
5. Matthieu Ladagnous, France, Francaise des Jeux, same time.
6. Daniel Oss, Italy, Liquigas-Doimo, 2 seconds behind.
7. Jose Joaquin Rojas, Spain, Caisse d'Epargne, same time.
8. Christian Knees, Germany, Team Milram, same time.
9. Ruben Perez, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, same time.
10. Jurgen Roelandts, Belgium, Omega Pharma-Lotto, same time.
11. Sebastien Turgot, France Bbox Bouygues Telecom, same time.
12. Linus Gerdemann, Germany, Team Milram, same time.
13. Julien El Fares, France, Cofidis, same time.
14. Luke Roberts, Australia, Team Milram, same time.
15. Geraint Thomas, Britain, Sky Pro Cycling, same time.
16. Kanstantsin Siutsou, Belarus, Team HTC-Columbia, same time.
17. Sylvain Chavanel, France, Quick Step, same time.
18. Edvald Boasson Hagen, Norway, Sky Pro Cycling, same time.
19. Carlos Barredo, Spain, Quick Step, same time.
20. Michael Barry, Canada, Sky Pro Cycling, same time.

Also

55. Lance Armstrong, United States, Team RadioShack, same time.
62. David Millar, Britain, Garmin-Transitions, same time.
130. Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland, Team Saxo Bank, same time.
163. Andreas Kloeden, Germany, Team RadioShack, same time.
187. Tony Martin, Germany, Team HTC-Columbia, same time.

Overall Standings (After first stage):

1. Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland, Team Saxo Bank, 5 hours, 19 minutes, 38 seconds.
2. Tony Martin, Germany, Team HTC-Columbia, 10 seconds behind.
3. David Millar, Britain, Garmin-Transitions, :20.
4. Lance Armstrong, United States, Team RadioShack, :22.
5. Geraint Thomas, Britain, Sky Pro Cycling, :23.
6. Alberto Contador, Spain, Astana, :27.
7. Tyler Farrar, United States, Garmin-Transitions, :28
8. Levi Leipheimer, United States, Team RadioShack, same time.
9. Edval Boasson Hagen, Norway, Sky Pro Cycling, :32.
10. Linus Gerdemann, Germany, Team Milram, :35.
11. Brent Bookwalter, United States, BMC Racing Team, same time.
12. Adriano Malori, Italy, Lampre-Farnese, same time.
13. Janez Brajkovic, Slovenia, Team RadioShack, same time.
14. Michael Rogers, Australia, Team HTC-Columbia, same time.
15. Ruben Plaza, Spain, Caisse d'Epargne, :36.
16. Niki Terpstra, Netherlands, Team Milram, same time.
17. Andreas Kloeden, Germany, Team RadioShack, same time.
18. Vasil Kiryienka, Belarus, Caisse d'Epargne, :38.
19. Alexandre Vinokourov, Kazakhstan, Astana, :38.
20. Roman Kreuziger, Czech Republic, Liquigas-Doimo, same time.