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Mon 07 Jul 2007Steegmans takes sprint from BoonenTour de France:Belgian Gert Steegmans was recruited by Quick Step at the end of last season to help Tom Boonen in the bunch sprints of the Tour de France.However Steegmans, who last year piloted Predictor-Lotto's Robbie McEwen to two victories in the world's greatest cycle race, pipped team leader and compatriot Boonen to the line in today's second stage.     By winning the 168.5-km stage from Dunkirk to Ghent, site of Quick Step's headquarters, Steegmans deprived the former world champion of his first victory on the Tour in two years.     Boonen has yet to raise his arms in triumph on the Tour since he won a massive sprint on Tour two years ago.     "We wanted to do it differently than yesterday, when we started the sprint too soon," Steegmans told a news conference following his first Tour stage victory.     In Sunday's first stage in England, the Quick Step "blue train" was launched with more than 500 metres to go and McEwen stunned his opponents with a late, winning burst of speed.     "There was no plan on who would win the stage. Everything happened naturally," Steegmans added.     Boonen, who has never been crowned king of the sprinters on the Tour de France, made the best of another frustrating day by claiming the green jersey.     He has 56 points to McEwen's 55.     "I am really happy with the jersey. Gert deserved his victory, it was not a gift from me," said Boonen.