After competing for eight years at the Tour de France, France's Sylvain Chavanel won the first stage victory in his career over a fellow countryman who was making his first visit to the Tour.
The 29-year-old Cofidis cyclist beat Jérémy Roy of Française des Jeux in a two-man sprint on Stage 19 in Montluçon. The pair had successfully attacked the peloton about 48 miles into the 102-mile stage.
Team Columbia's Gerald Ciolek of Germany beat the mass sprint in the peloton, which came across the line 1:13 later. Yellow jersey wearer Carlos Sastre and all the other leaders finished together, and there was no change in the top 10 on Friday.
Success
Chavanel has been a fixture at the Tour de France for eight years. He's worn the polka dot jersey before, but has never won a stage, in spite of making countless attacks in breakaways.
You might remember the breakaway of American Chris Horner and Chavanel in 2005. The two were playing cat and mouse as they approached the finish line in Montpellier as the peloton just swept past them.
A former time trial champion of France, Chavanel now has 6 victories this year.
Big day
As it turns out this year, Stage 20 will probably be the one to decide the Tour de France winner.
Carlos Sastre gained the overall lead from Cadel Evans on Wednesday with an amazing climb up Alpe d'Huez. Evans is a stronger time trial rider than Sastre, however, and most say he can make up the 1:34 deficit.
Another strong time trialist is Christian Vande Velde of Garmin-Chipotle who sits 4:41 behind Sastre in 6th place. An exceptional ride could possibly put him on the podium in Paris.
Coverage of the 32.9-mile individual time trial from Cérilly to Saint Amand Montrond begins at 7:30 a.m. (ET) on Versus.
Top 10 overall:
1 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC – Saxo Bank
2 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC – Saxo Bank, 1.24
3 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner, 1.33
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence – Lotto, 1.34
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank, 2.39
6 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle, 4.41
7 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne, 5.35
8 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi, 5.52
9 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale, 8.10
10 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale, 8.24
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