McEwen Wins Stage; Boonen Still the Leader

Tom Boonen kept his overall lead at the Tour de France on Wednesday -- wearing the yellow jersey as he entered his native Belgium -- but was upset with his showing on a day when Australia’s Robbie McEwen won a stage for the second time in this race.

Boonen, the world champion, faded in the final sprint of the 128.6-mile fourth stage and dropped back to fifth place. He slammed his right hand on his handlebars in apparent anger as he crossed the line.

The top of the overall standings remained unchanged. Boonen is one second ahead of world time trial champion Michael Rogers of Australia, with George Hincapie of the United States third.

McEwen overpowered his rivals and dedicated his 10th stage victory in nine Tours to American teammate Fred Rodriguez, who rode into a pothole and crashed out of the race in an accident-strewn stage Tuesday.

Rodriguez’s accident deprived McEwen of the rider assigned to lead him into the final stretches of sprint finishes, the Australian’s strong point.

McEwen said the slight uphill finish at Saint-Quentin in northern France “ideally suited” his style of riding. Isaac Galvez of the Illes Balears team was second, with another Spaniard, Oscar Freire of the Rabobank squad, third.

Before Wednesday’s start, 54 riders took doping blood tests. All were declared fit to race.

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STAGE 4 AT A GLANCE

Wednesday: The fourth stage brought riders back to France in a mostly flat 128.6-mile route from Huy, Belgium, to the northern French town of Saint-Quentin.

* Winner: Australia’s Robbie McEwen, of the Davitamon-Lotto team, in 4 hours, 59 minutes, 50 seconds. Isaac Galvez, a Spaniard with Illes Balears, was second, and fellow Spaniard Oscar Freire of Rabobank placed third.

* Yellow jersey: Tom Boonen, a Belgian with Quick Step-Innergetic, retained the overall leader’s jersey.

* Quote of the day: “The skin grows back.” -- Credit Agricole rider Julian Dean of New Zealand, who badly scraped his right arm and right leg after crashing near the finish line.

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STAGE 4 RESULTS

1. Robbie McEwen, Australia: 4:59:50

2. Isaac Galvez, Spain: same time

3. Oscar Freire, Spain: same time

4. Thor Hushovd, Norway: same time

5. Tom Boonen, Belgium: same time

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OVERALL LEADERS

1. Boonen, Belgium: 19:52:13

2. Michael Rogers, Australia: 1 second behind

3. George Hincapie, U.S.: 5 seconds behind

4. Hushovd, Norway: 7 seconds behind

5. Egoi Martinez, Spain: 10 seconds behind

Source: Associated Press