RIDERS PASS THROUGH QUENAST; LEADING GROUP OF 12 PASS; MAIN GROUP FOLLOW; BASSO AND JANSSEN (HOLLAND) CROSS LINE; BASSO CONGRATULATED.




Initials SW/VS/MR/PF


SPORT: CYCLING

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Background: ITALIAN SPRINTING ACE MARINO BASSO TODAY WON THE FIRST HALF OF THE FIRST STAGE OF THE 1969 TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLING RACE. THE WINNER OF YESTERDAY'S TIME TRIAL, RUDI ALTIG OF WEST GERMANY, RETAINED THE RACE LEADER'S YELLOW JERSEY.

THE 147 KILOMETRES (90 MILE) RUN FROM ROUBAIX TO WOLUWE SAINT PIERRE IN BELGIUM ENDED IN A SPRINT FINISH WITH MOST OF THE RIDERS FINISHING IN THE SAME TIME. THE ONLY CHANGE AMONG THE LEADERS WAS A JUMP FROM NINTH TO THIRD PLACE BY LAST YEAR'S WINNER, JAN JANSSEN, DUE TO THE 10 SECOND BONUS HE PICKED UP FOR SECOND PLACE TODAY (SUNDAY).

TOUR FAVOURITE THIS YEAR IS BELGIAN EDDY MERCKX BUT AN EARLY PUNCTURE PREVENTED HIM FROM WINNING THIS STAGE IN HIS OWN COUNTRY. AT ONE POINT HE AND ITALIAN FELICE GIMONDI BROKE AWAY, BUT THEY WERE JOINED BY A GROUP OF NINE OTHERS INCLUDING JANSSEN AND BELGIAN HERMAN VAN SPRINGEL. THE 11 MAN GROUP BUILT UP A LEAD OF OVER A MINUTE, BUT LATER TWO FRENCHMEN, ROGER PINGEON AND RAYMOND POULIDOR, CAUGHT THEM UP AND PINGEON TRIED IN VAIN TO BREAK AWAY ON HIS OWN. BY THE FINISH THE GROUP HAD BEEN CAUGHT BY THE MAIN BUNCH OF RIDERS, AND THE SPRINT FOR THE FINISH WAS ONE OF THE CLOSEST IN THE RACE'S HISTORY.

TONIGHT'S SECOND HALF STAGE IS A TEAM TRIAL AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT MERCKX, ONLY SEVEN SECONDS BEHIND ALTIG ON THE INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL YESTERDAY, WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE YELLOW JERSEY FROM THE GERMAN.