MONTPELLIER — Robbie Hunter became the first African rider to win a stage of the Tour de France yesterday when he sprinted clear of a leading group of about 75 after an exciting day of racing from Marseille.

Hunter, of Johannesburg, delivered the killer blow when he took the lead with 250 yards to go, chasing Brazilian rider Murilo Fischer and teammate Filippo Pozzato, who were the first to avoid a pile-up in the last 750 yards.

As the riders entered the last half-mile at speed, the leaders could not control the sweep of the bend and crashed into the barriers. Top sprinters Julian Dean, from New Zealand, Fred Rodrigues (America), and the leader in the green jersey competition, Tom Boonen (Belgium), were all involved.

The outcome was not about the sprint winner so much as about the demise of Christophe Moreau, the French champion, who fell from sixth to 12th overall.

Moreau was caught at the back of the field when it turned into a crosswind blowing off the wilderness of the Carmargue. The injured Alexandre Vinokourov’s Astana team turned on the power and split the race into two bunches. France’s big hope could not repair the damage and he trailed home, embarrassed and 3 minutes and 20 seconds behind. His chances of victory in Paris are now gone. All the other contenders worked in the lead group to finish together, with Michael Rasmussen keeping his yellow jersey for a fourth day.