TOUR DE FRANCE : Belgium’s Nelissen Takes Lead Away From Indurain

Belgium’s Wilfried Nelissen took the leader’s yellow jersey from two-time defending Tour de France champion Miguel Indurain of Spain.

Nelissen won Monday’s 143-mile stage from Les Sables d’Olonne to Vannes in western France, as well as two intermediate sprints. Nelissen gained a 32-second bonus and had a 17-second lead over Indurain.

Nelissen, 23, became the first Belgian in nine years to lead the Tour de France.

Indurain stayed with the pack at the close of Monday’s stage, but dropped into second place. Nelissen won the final sprint over Uzbekistan’s Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, Italy’s Mario Cipollini and Germany’s Olaf Ludwig.

At the 67-mile mark, France’s Thierry Marie and Poland’s Jan Svorada broke away and built a six-minute lead. The pack whittled that lead and caught them with about 10 miles left.

Two-time world champion Gianni Bugno led a small group breakaway in the final 2.5 miles before Nelissen won the final sprint.

Cipollini is third in the overall standings and Bugno is fourth.

Indurain was not disappointed by losing the lead. Last year, after winning the prologue, he gave it up after the first stage. “That’s the rules of the game,” Indurain said. “I hope I can get it back again.”