Armstrong still third, Leipheimer fourth

Published: Saturday, July 11, 2009 10:58 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 

SAINT-GIRONS, France — Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong remains in third place in the Tour de France, after Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez won the eighth stage Saturday in a sprint ahead of three other breakaway riders.

Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy earned the yellow jersey for the second straight day by finishing in a pack with Armstrong and his Astana teammate Alberto Contador. The 2007 Tour winner is six seconds back, with Armstrong eight seconds back.

Their teammate, Levi Leipheimer, is 39 seconds off the pace in fourth.

Sanchez, who won the Paris-Nice stage race in March, pointed skyward and tapped his chest after he crossed the line just ahead of France's Sandy Casar and Mikel Astarloza of Spain.

They clocked 4 hours, 31 minutes, 50 seconds for the 110-mile trek along three big climbs from the Pyrenean principality of Andorra to Saint-Girons.

Vladimir Efimkin, who was reeled in after a failed solo breakaway, finished the stage in fourth, while the main pack trailed 1:54 behind.

"That was a really long, hard climb," said Christian Vande Velde of Garmin-Slipstream.

The Tour ends July 26 in Paris, with the Alps, a final individual time trial and the dreaded Mont Ventoux awaiting.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image
Christophe Ena, Associated Press

The pack with American seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, bottom right, speeds down Envalira Pass, Pyrenees mountains, during the 8th stage of the Tour de France cycling race.

previousnext

Latest comments

Cougars beat Utes, 26-23

Why the heck is there all the Hall and Bronco hate? Hall has played great for...

Well, well, well, looks like all those people catching interceptions from Max...

Cougars beat Utes, 26-23

Three out of four against the Utes, I just wish they all weren't so close.

Cougars beat Utes, 26-23

Surely you are not talking about Wyoming? HA HA HA AH AH HA HA HA HA HA!!!

Cougars beat Utes, 26-23

No better day than to be a cougar fan.

Budget cuts won't help in 2011

To Progressive: Tell you what, let's compare who pays the most in taxes and...

Budget cuts won't help in 2011

I recently found an innovative way to increase my take home pay by 10%...

Cougars beat Utes, 26-23

Congrats to BYU and Utah for playing an incredible game. Very entertaining...

Cougars beat Utes, 26-23

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Four months of obnoxious ute fans talking smack. Well what...

Cougars beat Utes, 26-23

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! HAHAHAHAH!!!!!! YES!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!

Advertisements