Belgian Gert Steegmans won the second stage of the Tour de France after a pile-up two kilometres from the finish put about 170 riders out of the final sprint on Monday.

Steegmans clinched his first win in the Tour in the 168.5-km stage from Dunkirk in France to Ghent in his home country, just beating compatriot and Quick-Step team mate Tom Boonen to the line.

Italian Filippo Pozzato of the Liquigas team came home third.

First stage winner, Robbie McEwen of Australia, was sixth and relinquished to green jersey as top sprinter.

Swiss Fabian Cancellara, who crossed the line with a minor hand injury, retained his overall leader's yellow jersey as the crash occurred less than three kilometres from the finish.

"At first I really felt pain but it's now much better," said Cancellara. "We will treat it. Now I'm okay."

Steegmans, a former team mate of McEwen recruited by Quick Step to help Boonen in the sprints, pipped his team leader in the final metres.

Former world champion Boonen at first thought he had had the last word and raised his arms in triumph but soon realised his lieutenant had beaten him.

Although beaten into third place by McEwen in the first stage in England on Sunday, Boonen claimed the green jersey on Monday.

"I am really happy with the jersey. Gert deserved his victory, it was not a gift from me," said Boonen.

German Marcel Siegler of the Milram team broke after 18km along with Agritubel's French rider Cedric Herve and Spaniard Ruben Perez of Euskaltel.

The trio built a five-minute gap that vanished into thin air three kilometres from the finish following late work from the sprinters' teams.

With some 40km to go, Luxemburg's Frank Schleck, one of the race favourites, crashed on the wet road but got back on his bike with a bruised elbow. He was pulled back into the peloton by 38-year-old Inigo Cuesta, the oldest rider in the Tour.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP