Saint-Brieuc, France -Norwegian sprinter Thor Hushovd was the fastest out of the pack on Sunday and held on to win the second stage of the 2008 Tour de France. The 30-year-old rider for the French Credit Agricole team held off Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg by half a bicycle length to take the seventh Tour stage win of his career. German Gerald Ciolek of Team Columbia was third.
His time for the 164.5-km course, from Auray on the southern coast of Brittany to the port of Saint-Brieuc on the region's northern shore, was 3 hours 45 minutes 12 seconds, an average speed of 43.83 kph.
Hushovd said the sprint was very difficult because it took place on an upward slope and the wind was blowing into the riders' faces.
"But all my team-mates were there to work for me and we worked very well together," the former Tour de France sprint champion told French television.
Spaniard Alejandro Valverde, who finished with the pack, in 12th place, retained the race leader's yellow jersey. Kirchen is now second, with Spaniard Oscar Freire in third.
Kirchen, Freire and eight other riders lie one second adrift of Valverde.
Monday's third stage covers 208 kilometres from the port of Saint-Malo in northern Brittany to the city of Nantes in the south of the region. The race ends July 27 in Paris.
