1.
SV DEPARTURE SIGN
0.03

2.
SV CYCLISTS AT START AND AWAY (2 SHOTS)
0.11

3.
SV CYCLISTS ALONG ROUTE
0.14

4.
SV CYCLISTS
0.24

5.
CV No.86, WILLY VAN DEN EYNDE (BELGIUM)
0.32

6.
GV CYCLISTS ALONG ROUTE
0.45

7.
SV CYCLIST No. 34 WALTER GODEFROOT (BELGIUM)
0.46

8.
GV CYCLISTS THROUGH TOWN
0.50

9.
SV GODEFROOT OVERTAKEN BY No. 12 JOSEPH BRUYERE AND OTHERS
1.06

10.
GV APPROACHING AND PASSING FINISH LINE (2 SHOTS)
1.12

11.
SV WINNER (2 SHOTS)
1.25



Initials JH/VS/AS/OS


SPORT: CYCLING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: BELGIAN CYCLIST FRANS VERBEECK WON THE FIRST STAGE OF THE TOUR OF BELGIUM ON TUESDAY (7 APRIL) AT SPA VIRTON VERBEECK'S OFFICIAL TIME IN THE 122-MILE (169 KM) COURSE WAS FOUR HOURS, 17 MINUTES AND 50 SECONDS. SECOND PLACE WAS TAKEN BY ROGER DE VLAEMINCK OF BELGIUM AND THIRD BY EDDY MERCKX, ALSO OF BELGIUM. MERCKX HAD BEEN THE FAVOURITE TO WIN. THE TWO WERE A WHEEL AND A LENGTH BEHIND THE LEADER WITH THE SAME TIME. MERCKX HAD WON THE TOUR DE FRANCE IN 1969.

DURING THE COURSE, THE CYCLISTS TRAVERSED PART OF THE ARDENNES MOUNTAIN RANGE WHICH WAS COVERED WITH SNOW; ALL THE RIDERS SUFFERED FROM THE COLD.

THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE ROUTE, MERCKX MAINTAINED THE LEAD. ABOUT 2 1/2 MILES (4 KM) FROM THE FINISH LINE, VERBEECK AND DE VLAEMINCK PULLED AHEAD UNTIL THE THREE RIDERS CROSSED THE FINISH ONE JUST AFTER THE OTHER.

OTHER RIDERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN TUESDAY'S FIRST STAGE WERE WILLY VAN DEN EYNDE, WALTER GODERFOOT AND JOSEPH BRUYERE, ALL OF BELGIUM. OTHER COUNTRIES TAKING PART AT SPA VIRTON WERE HOLLAND, FRANCE, DENMARK, LUXEMBOURG, ITALY, WEST GERMANY AND SWEDEN.

NINETY-NINE RIDERS ARE LEFT IN THE TOUR.