LES ESSERTS, France -- Belgian sprinting ace Tom Boonen captured the second stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, and American Lance Armstrong remained in second place overall.

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Boonen edged Norway's Thor Hushovd by a bike length at the end of the relatively flat 112-mile trek from Challans to Les Essarts, a leg of the Tour that begins with riders heading south along France's western coastline before turning north for the final 50 miles.

The Belgian finished with a time of 3 hours, 51 minutes and 31 seconds, covering the leg at an average speed of 29 miles per hour.

Armstrong, who is seeking an unprecedented seventh consecutive title, finished 63rd in the second stage and remains in second place overall behind fellow American David Zabriskie.

The 25-year-old Zabriskie, who posted the fastest time trial in Tour history during the 12-mile first stage, finished 71st at the end of Stage 2. He continues to lead Armstrong by a scant two-hundreths of a second.

Hungarian Laszlo Bodrogi moved into third place overall after standing fifth at the end of Stage 1. Armstrong's rival and 1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich of Germany finished 19th in the second stage to move from 12th place overall to eighth place.