SEDAN, France, July 7 (UPI) -- Australian Baden Cooke won Stage 2 of the Tour de France on Monday while American Lance Armstrong fell to 10th in the overall standings.
Bradley McGee, who won the prologue Saturday, retained the overall lead and helped his countryman Cooke edge Frenchman Jean-Patrick Nazon and Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu in the stage.
"That a rider of Brad McGee's caliber is leading me out for the sprint says a lot about his character," said the 24-year-old Cooke, who is third overall, four seconds behind McGee and just in back of Britain's David Millar.
Armstrong, who had to finish Stage 1 on the bike of teammate Jose Luis Rubiera of Spain after a crash that involved 30 riders, is 11 seconds behind McGee.
The 31-year-old Armstrong is seeking to join Spaniard Miguel Indurain (1991-95) as the only riders to win the event five straight years.
