Spain’s Luis Leon Sanchez, riding for the Caisse d’Epargne team, won the seventh and penultimate stage of the Paris-Nice cycling race on Saturday to take the leader’s yellow jersey.
Overnight leader Alberto Contador of the Astana team suffered over the final 4km, with the 2007 Tour de France winner losing almost three minutes, saying later he had forgotten to eat and drink properly.
Sanchez broke away 15km from the finish line and eventually came home 50 seconds ahead of Spaniard Antonio Colom, Frank Schleck of Luxembourg and French rider Sylvain Chavanel.
PHOTO : AFP
A 10-rider breakaway had built up a three-and-a-half minute lead after splitting from the peloton at the 60km mark of the 191km stage.
The final one of this group, Slovakia’s Martin Velits, was hauled back 30km from the end by the Spanish trio of Contador, Colom and Sanchez, the latter biding his time before pulling clear.
Sanchez, 25, now stands 1 minute, 9 seconds clear of Chavanel in the overall standings, with Contador, last year’s Tour of Italy and Tour of Spain winner, at 1 minute, 50 seconds.
PHOTO : AFP
In sunny conditions, the stage was marked by a large number of riders pulling out, including reigning Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez of Spain.
PHOTO : AFP
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