The Swiss cyclist Fabian Cancellara has won the first stage of the Tour de France, a 15 and a half kilometre time trial around Monaco.
Cancellara clocked 19 minutes 32.14 seconds to claim the yellow jersey while the seven-times champion Lance Armstrong finished 10th, 40 seconds behind.
His Astana team-mate Alberto Contador, the 2007 Tour winner, claimed second place, 18 seconds down, while England's Bradley Wiggins was third at 19 seconds.
Defending Tour champion Carlos Sastre of Spain finished 21st, a minute and six seconds off the pace.
New Zealand's Hayden Roulston was 111th, a minute 57 back with Julian Dean 20 places further down, 2 minutes 11 behind Cancellara.
