Ghent, Belgium ? The Tour de France veered into Belgium on Monday, and Gert Steegmans responded with a victory before his home fans in a country passionate about its cycling.

Steegmans avoided a late crash that slowed many riders and left them with scrapes and bruises. He led a 1-2 Belgian finish with Tom Boonen in winning a Tour stage for the first time as fans thronged the team bus.

Steegmans, Boonen and third-place finisher Filippo Pozzato of Italy were among about 20 cyclists who were ahead of a crash that delayed all other riders in the main pack with about 1.2 miles left.

The three-week race returns to France nearly for good today, leaving the Belgian town of Waregem for a 147-mile ride to Compiegne, northeast of Paris.