TWO seconds was all that separated first and second place in the 731-mile Prutour cycle race.

After seven days of racing around the streets of Britain, Belgian Mark Wauters, 30, emerged victorious by the narrowest of margins in the final leg in Edinburgh over Benoit Joachim on May 29.

Wauters, riding for Rabobank, took the race lead and red jersey the previous day after an exciting and eventful 103 miles from Liverpool to Blackpool.

There was hardly a spokes length between George Hincapie and Piotr Wadecki as they entered the final straight which finished in front of The Sandcastle on the promenade.

But it was American champion Hincapie, riding for the US Postal Service team, who broke away to emerge victorious to take the stage and £1,500 prize money.

It wasn't easy riding for all of the 108 competitors, however.

Two hours into the race former Olympic champion Chris Boardman, riding for the Credit Agricole team, suffered a bizarre accident colliding with a sheep on the descent of the Nick O'Pendle.

Boardman, runner-up in last year's Prutour, needed stitches to his hand after finishing the stage but had lost more than 24 minutes on stage winner Hincapie.

Elsewhere other British riders proved themselves a force with commendable performances from third-placed John Tanner, Rob Hayles (seventh) and Stuart Dangerfield (tenth).

But all this was behind Hincapie who had never won a stage in the Prutour race in six years of trying.

He said: "I'm really happy right now. This is one of my favourite races of the year and one of the most famous.

"Today I was able to race for myself and win the stage. It's a great feeling."

Overall winner Wauters collected £10,000 prize money.

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