July 4, 2004 – After a day of breakaways and opportunists, it was AG2R Prévoyance’s Jaan Kirsipuu who took the bunch sprint in the first road stage at the 2004 Tour de France. Kirsipu pipped Lotto’s Robbie McEwen and Credit Agricole’s Thor Hushovd to the line. The G.C. changes a tad, with the Norwegian Hushovd jumping over USPS’ Lance Armstrong to second overall. Fassa Bortolo’s Fabian Cancellara still holds the yellow jersey.

Stage 1:

1. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) AG2R Prévoyance 4.40.29
2. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Domo
3. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole
4. Danilo Hondo (Ger) Gerolsteiner
5. Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2R Prévoyance
6. Baden Cooke (Aus) Fdjeux.com
7. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
8. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
9. Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team
10. Allan Davis (Aus) Liberty Seguros

Overall:

1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Fassa Bortolo 4.47.11
2. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole 0.04
3. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor 0.10
4. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 0.15
5. Jos̩ I.Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Illes Balears РBanesto 0.16
6. Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.19
7. Christophe Moreau (Fra) Crédit Agricole 0.20
8. Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC
9. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor
10. José Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.22