Cancellara loses yellow jersey
Fabian Cancellara lost the yellow jersey of the Tour de France race leader on Friday, as the race headed into the mountains of Andorra.
The 28-year-old Swiss Olympic time-trial champion had been awarded the jersey after posting the fastest time in the prologue to the race. He had kept it throughout the first six stages, which were relatively flat.
His surrender of the jersey in the mountains did not come as a surprise. But he was also unfortunate in suffering two flat tyres during the stage.
The new overall leader is the Italian, Rinaldo Nocentini, who is six and eight seconds respectively ahead of the two favourites, Alberto Contador of Spain and Lance Armstrong of the US.
Friday’s 224 km stage was won by Frenchman Brice Feillu, taking part in his first tour.
This year’s Tour will cover 3,460km, taking in six countries before finishing in Paris on July 26. Racers will dip into Switzerland on July 19 and 21 for tough stages in the Alps near Verbier and Martigny.
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