The Hindu : Sport / Cycling : Rinaldo Nocentini captures Yellow Jersey

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Rinaldo Nocentini captures Yellow Jersey

— PHOTO: AFP

PLEASED AS PUNCH: Rinaldo Nocentini claimed the Yellow Jersey from Fabian Cancellara on Friday.

ARCALIS (Andorra): Italy’s Rinaldo Nocentini captured the Yellow Jersey in Friday’s seventh stage of the Tour de France, and Alberto Contador swiped second place from Lance Armstrong.

Brice Feillu of France burst out of a breakaway group for a solo victory in the punishing stage from Spain into Andorra, the first ride in high mountains in the three-week race this year.

It also marked the first time that the Yellow Jersey changed hands: Swiss time-trial specialist Fabian Cancellara had held it since winning the opening-day race against the clock in Monaco.

Contador pulled away from Armstrong and a pack of other favourites with a burst of speed in the last two kilometres. The Spaniard, who won the 2007 Tour, finished 3 minutes, 26 seconds behind Feillu to sit six seconds behind Nocentini overall.

Armstrong was 3:47 back in the main pack — putting him two seconds behind Astana teammate Contador in the standings. Contador had come into the stage in third, 19 seconds behind Cancellara and Armstrong, who had been separated by a split second.

Taking it in his stride

The seven-time Tour champion appeared to take it in his stride.

“Overall, I feel pretty good. I’m not as knackered as I thought I’d be,” he said. “Things didn’t quite go according to plan that we set up earlier, but it didn’t matter. It was a fine day overall.”

Nocentini and Feillu were part of a nine-man breakaway group that jumped out early in the stage, and the main pre-race favourites were happy to let the escapees go because they aren’t considered as threats for the overall title.

“It’s a nice victory,” said Feillu, a 23-year-old riding in his first Tour. — AP

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