Thor steals Freire's thunder

Spaniard Oscar Freire may have won the second stage of the Tour de France in Germany and Switzerland's Rubens Bertogliati may be the race leader, but the hero of the day was Norwegian rider Thor Hushovd.

He was part of a three-man breakaway before severe cramp forced him to drop back.

At one stage he was struggling to even turn the wheels of his bike and he suffered all the way to the finish, crossing the line in last place, more than 19 minutes behind Freire.

Scotland's David Millar had another good day and is seventh overall, only eight seconds off the lead. American Lance Armstrong, chasing a fourth Tour success, is in fourth place.