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Tour de France
Second win for France as Contador makes his move
Article published on the 2009-07-10 Latest update 2009-07-10 18:11 TU
The peloton rides past at Paseig de Gracia in Barcelona during the seventh stage on 10 July, 2009
(Photos: Reuters/Albert Gea)
Another day and yet more absorbing, unpredictable action on the Tour de France. France’s Brice Feillu may have claimed victory in the seventh stage but the real drama on Friday played out behind him.
Italian AG2R rider Rinaldo Nocentini emerged with the yellow jersey after the 224 kilometre ride from Barcelona to Andorra Arcalis - the first of three days in the Pyrenees mountains – but Alberto Contador is now just six seconds behind.
The Spaniard, one of the pre-race favourites to win the event, was rewarded for a daring break from a group containing all the main contenders for the yellow jersey inside the final two kilometres. He has now leapfrogged Astana teammate Lance Armstrong to move into second place overall.
As expected, overnight leader Fabian Cancellara of the Saxo Bank team struggled to keep pace with the peloton and has dropped back to 39th place.
Feillu, who is racing at the Tour for the first time, had chased down a small group of frontrunners 5.8 kilometres from the finish of the 10.1 kilometre climb to the race's first summit finish.
"I can't believe it! It's my first Tour and now I've won a stage. In fact, it's my first victory of the year," said the 24-year-old.
Stage Seven Results:
1. Brice Feillu (FRA/AGR) 6h11min 31secs (average: 36,176 km/h)
2. Christophe Kern (FRA/COF) +5 secs
3. Johannes Fröhlinger (GER/MRM) +25
4. Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA/ALM) +26
5. Egoi Martinez (ESP/EUS) +45
6. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) +1 min 05
7. Jérôme Pineau (FRA/QST) +2:32
8. Ivan Gutierrez (ESP/GCE) +3:14
9. Alberto Contador (ESP/AST) +3:26
10. Cadel Evans (AUS/SIL) +3:47
Overall standings:
1. Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA/ALM) 25h44min 32sec
2. Alberto Contador (ESP/AST) +6 secs
3. Lance Armstrong (USA/AST) +8
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA/AST) +39
5. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/GRM) +46
6. Andreas Kloden (GER/AST) +54
7. Tony Martin (GER/THR) +1 min
8. Christian Vande Velde (USA/GRM) +1:24
9. Andy Schleck (LUX/SAX) +1:49
10. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) +1:54
