Christophe Moreau started the Dauphiné Libéré hoping to test his form before next month’s Tour de France.

If Tuesday’s bumpy ride into Saint-Etienne was any indication, he’s done that and more with a stage victory that also put him into the race leader’s yellow jersey.

At 36, Moreau is no spring chicken, but he rode hard enough to bridge out with about 40km to go, joining a two-man breakaway that pulled away early in the 157km hilly route from Saint-Paul-en-Jarez to Saint-Etienne.

Pineau Kuschynski initiated an early break...

Photo: Graham Watson

Riding Moreau’s vapors were Juan Antonio Redondo (Astana) and Kevin Seeldrayers (Quick Step-Innergetic). The gap stood at about one minute with 25km to go, but Moreau helped power the trio over a series of short climbs in the closing run.

The day’s two early escapees -- Jerome Pineau (Bouygues Telecom) and Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas) – popped under the pressure of Moreau. Seeldrayers also lost contact on the final descent into Saint-Etienne when it appeared his chain snapped, ripping his derailleur off his frame.

Overnight leader Bradley Wiggins (Cofidis) appeared worried when he looked around and didn’t see very many Cofidis teammates able to help him defend the yellow jersey.

Moreau really drove this one

Photo: Graham Watson

The gap was still nearly one minute with 10km to go despite the hard-chasing efforts by an alliance formed by Gerolsteiner, Crédit Agricole and Caisse d’Epargne.

Moreau led his younger rival into Saint-Etienne and Redondo didn’t seem to even challenge for the sprint. After riding Moreau's wheel for much of the last 20km, it appears that etiquette got the better of the Astana rider.

"I thought he was going to overtake me, but then I saw him sticking on my wheel," said Moreau.

Moreau took the opportunity to coast across the line victorious, making the motion of rocking a baby as he crossed the line with jubilation. Moreau’s wife recently gave birth to a daughter.

It took an alliance of sorts to narrow the gap

Photo: Graham Watson

Wiggins, the world pursuit champion, was hoping to carry the leader’s jersey into Wednesday’s individual time trial, but he could see the jersey slipping away as the final 15km were mostly downhill into Saint-Etienne. He rolled in with the peloton at 33 seconds back, more than the nine seconds Moreau needed to vault into the lead.

Moreau, who won here in 2001, moved into the overall lead at seven seconds ahead of Redondo. Wiggins dipped to third at 24 seconds back with Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) fourth at 25 seconds.

"It will be difficult to keep the jersey, but I won't be looking at how I've done until we get to the summit of Mont Ventoux (Thursday)," Moreau said. "As I get older I'm climbing better, but I'm losing power for the big time trials."

Meanwhile, Moreau's efforts Tuesday delivered handsomely and he will now be hoping to take similar form into the Tour de France where teammate John Gadret will shoulder the team's overall hopes.

Vande Velde quickly recovered

Photo: Graham Watson

"Now I can be completely free," said Moreau, who has finished the Tour de France four times as top Frenchman.

The 59th Dauphiné continues with Wednesday’s third stage, a 40.7km time trial around Anneyron.Race noteChristian Vande Velde (CSC) crashed on the descent into Saint-Etienne, but he was able to finish the stage and Team CSC sport director Alain Gallopin said it didn’t appear Vande Velde was seriously hurt.

Stage Results
1. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2r Prévoyance, 157km in 3:50:38
2. José Antonio Redondo (Sp), Astana
3. Alejandro Valverde (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne, at 0:33
4. Thor Hushovd (N), Crédit Agricole, at 0:33
5. Heinrich Haussler (G), Gerolsteiner, at 0:33
6. Anthony Geslin (F), Bouygues Telecom, at 0:33
7. Leonardo Duque (Col), Cofidis, at 0:33
8. Philippe Gilbert (B), Française Des Jeux, at 0:33
9. Alexandre Botcharov (Rus), Crédit Agricole, at 0:33
10. Marcel Sieberg (G), Milram, at 0:33

Overall
1. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2r Prévoyance, 9:30:42
2. José Antonio Redondo (Sp), Astana, at 0:07
3. Bradley Wiggins (GB), Cofidis, at 0:24
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Discovery, at 0:25
5. Andrey Kashechkin (Kz), Astana, at 0:26
6. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery, at 0:26
7. Alejandro Valverde (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne, at 0:27
8. David Zabriskie (USA), CSC, at 0:27
9. Egoi Martínez (Sp), Discovery, at 0:29
10. Sébastien Joly (F), Française Des Jeux, at 0:30

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