The Australian pair of Robbie McEwen and overall leader Bradley McGee chat as the riders line-up

McGee rides alongside Germany's Olaf Pollack as stage two between La Fert�-sous-Jouarre and Sedan begins

Frenchmen Frederic Finot and Lilian Jegou stage a breakaway at the five kilometre mark and race into the lead

Despite sustaining a broken collarbone during Sunday's stage, America's Tyler Hamilton keeps pace with the peleton

A monk watches the riders speed past as they close on breakaway leaders Finot and Jegou

Winner of the Tour for the last four years, Lance Armstrong, maintains a steady pace alongside team-mate Viatcheslav Ekimov

German Jan Ullrich takes a well-deserved drink as the riders negotiate the 204.5 kilometre stage

Finot starts to edge ahead of Jegou, who is eventually caught by the chasing pack

Finot is finally overtaken four kilometres from home as a frantic sprint to the finish is headed by Australia's Baden Cooke

Francaise des Jeux rider Cooke is delighted as he claims his first ever stage victory ahead of local man Jean-Patrick Nazon

Bradley McGee retains the yellow jersey with a lead of four seconds over Great Britain's David Millar

Australia's great start to the Tour leaves the green, white and yellow jerseys in the possession of McEwen, Cooke and McGee