7:48 PM - CASTORAMA PUTS HOPES ON TUESDAY'S TEAM TIME TRIAL

5:58 PM - Three Frenchman on Top

4:49 PM - Cipollini Wins Stage

3:01 PM - French Favorite Wins Sprint

2:05 PM - French Champion Abandons

1:31 PM - France Retains the Polka Dot Jersey

12:33 AM - The Racers Compete in Another Sprint

11:39 AM - The Tour Cruises Along the Brittany Coast

09:59 AM - The Tour Heats Up

From Jeremy Whittle, Vitre, France

In a remarkable reversal of fortune, just a year after his career threatening crash in the opening stage of the 1994 Tour de France, French hero Laurent Jalabert assumed overall leadership of the 1995 edition on the 235.5 km stage to Vitre. On an undulating route that saw the abandon of GAN's Eddy Seigneur, Jalabert's ONCE team brilliantly controlled the peloton to ensure that the Frenchman picked up sufficient time bonsuses to overhaul Castorama's Jacky Durand.

After another cloudy start on the northern coast of Brittany at Perros Guirec, fierce racing began almost immediately, as Motorola's Frankie Andreu, in an attempt to make up his five seconds deficit on Durand, attacked after just 3 kilometres. But he was swept up by an active field just five kilometres short of his objective, the sprint bonus at Pommerit Jaudy.

In fact, the ONCE, Novell and Mercatone teams battled uphill to the 'hot spot' and Uzbekistan's Djamilodin Abdoujaparov edged out Mario Cipollini and Jalabert, to force the Frenchman to endure a tense wait until the next opportunity, 130 kms further up the road.

With French national champion Seigneur climbing off at the feed zone, suffering from acute tendinitis, the battle for seconds intensified as the 188 man field neared the second intermediate sprint. Jalabert's ONCE team knew that they could usher their man into the yellow jersey, prior to the team time trial, if he took the six bonus seconds on offer.

The Frenchman, winner already this year of Paris-Nice, Milan San Remo and the Fleche Wallonne, did not fail them and his victory under the banner at St Meen Le Grand, brought him the first maillot jaune of his six year professional career. With ONCE shrugging aside any attempts by the beleaguered Castorama squad to pull Durand up to the front, Jalabert's assured display dominated the closing stages of the race, in spite of a two-up breakaway comprising Brescialat's last-minute inclusion Eric Vanderaerden and Novell veteran Frans Maassen.

16 kms from the finish, the pair were reeled in and, as ONCE and the Lotto team strung the field out, the speed grew ever more intense on the fast run in to Vitre. Then, on a slight rise just 9kms from the line, the peloton, in a move initiated by Gewiss' Francesco Frattini, split in two with a group of 38 riders moving clear of the field.

Jalabert, Tony Rominger, Evgeni Berzin, Gianni Bugno, Marco Pantani, Alex Zulle and, naturally, Miguel Indurain were all there while outgoing yellow jersey Durand and among others, Motorola pair Lance Armstrong and Alvaro Meija battled to limit their losses.

With the break almost half a minute ahead, Mapei's Andrea Tafi and Lampre's Maurizio Fondriest attacked in turn, until, as the group flew under the kilometre kite, Frederic Moncassin of Novell began pumping his way towards the finish in pursuit of a last-ditch attack by Lotto's Andrei Tchmil.

Few would have picked out Mario Cipollini the 'Lion King' as a likely victor as the Italian has complained of a sore throat since the race began. But the long-haired sprint king burst towards the line in the closing 200 metres to win by half a length, from Polti's Giovanni Lombardi, his old rival Abdu' and the previous day's winner, Fabio Baldato.

QUOTES OF THE DAY

Laurent Jalabert:"It's a happy anniversary for me one year after the worst day of my career. The team were really strong today and made it possible for me to take the overall lead. To be a Frenchman and wear the yellow jersey, well, it's the best!"

Mario Cipollini:"I didn't feel too good this morning so I don't really know how or why I was able to win, but I don't care. I'm happy if I win with or without a fever. It's my 16th win of the season not my 15th. Just because they disqualified one of my wins at the Giro d'Italia doesn't mean it wasn't a perfectly good win..."

MOUNTAINS JERSEY - FRANCOIS SIMON

POINTS JERSEY - DJAMOLIDIN ABDOUJAPAROV

From http://www.WinningMag.COM/winning/

Vitre, France, July 3rd 1995.

So Motorola tried but failed to snatch the yellow jersey in the opening hour of today's race. Now the American team will struggle to make up Frankie Andreu's 27 second time deficit on Laurent Jalabert in the 67 km stage 3 team time trial, where the Frenchman's ONCE team are certain to acquit themselves well.

Perhaps more damaging for Motorola in the long-term was the absence of any of the team's experienced professionals from the closing break on the road to Vitre. The squad have always intended to perform well in the team time trial, they were second in the test last year, but this time around it looks as if the stage win (as opposed to the maillot jaune) is the best they can hope for.

The Tour can be won and lost during these opening salvos. Already Laurent Jalabert has demonstrated his continuing excellent form and the stage to Lannion was marked by Miguel Indurain and Tony Rominger's seemingly effortless presence at the head of affairs during the frantic finale. Gewiss' Evgeni Berzin has been quick to show his face at the front of the field and there is no doubt that Alex Zulle is once again the podium contender that he was once thought to be.

They used to say that those with hopes of Tour success cannot afford to have a single bad day 'un jour sans' in the three week race. The Tour de France in the 1990's is unforgiving of even a single bad moment.