Sagan wins 1st stage

Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, and his teammates, are followed by the Sky team riders, wearing yellow helmets for the best performing team, during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race Sunday. — AP

SERAING, Belgium — One of the most precocious talents in cycling, Peter Sagan came of age when he won the first stage of his first Tour de France Sunday.

At 22, the Slovakian had already impressed the cycling world since his two stage wins in Paris-Nice two years ago but the victory over 198 kms from Liege was career topping and probably the first of a long list of Tour successes.

Sagan, the youngest winner of a Tour de France stage since Lance Armstrong in 1993, was the only rider capable of taking the wheel of Swiss Fabian Cancellara when the prologue winner attacked in the steep last hill leading to the finish line.

One of the fastest sprinters in the bunch, the Slovakian powered to the line in front of the Olympic time trial champion, who retained his overall leader’s yellow jersey. — Reuters