Sanchez tames the hills

LUZ-ARDIDEN, France - Spain's Samuel Sanchez thrilled fans of his Basque-based team with the stage win yesterday and France's Thomas Voeckler surprised himself by keeping the yellow jersey on Bastille Day as the Tour de France finally hit the mountains.

Defending champion Alberto Contador ran into more, if modest, trouble in the 12th stage by losing ground to other race favorites on the day's final climb in the Pyrenees.

The 131-mile run from Cugnaux to the Luz-Ardiden ski station featured three tough ascents - including two that are among the hardest in pro cycling.

After 11 stages on wind-swept flats and hills that favored sprinters and breakaway riders, yesterday's mountains began to separate the overall race contenders from the rest of the pack.

The day's toughest climbs - the Col du Tourmalet and the uphill finish in Luz-Ardiden - gave the favorites a chance to gauge each other's stamina and look for signs of weakness.

Sanchez and Jelle Vanendert of Belgium overtook a group of breakaway riders in the final climb and the Spaniard then won their two-man sprint in the last several hundred yards, crossing seven seconds in front of Vanendert.

"It's incredible," Sanchez said of his first Tour stage victory. The Euskaltel-Euskadi rider, who finished fourth overall last year, said he got extra inspiration from spectators waving the red, green and white flag of the Basque country - a nearby region along the border between France and Spain.

"I can't believe I won this in front of all our fans," he said.

Frank Schleck of Luxembourg made a string of attacks on other prerace favorites before surging away to finish third - 10 seconds back - and vault into second place overall.

Italy's Ivan Basso was fourth, Australia's Cadel Evans was fifth, and Schleck's younger brother Andy was sixth, each 30 seconds behind Sanchez. Contador placed eighth, 43 seconds back.

Voeckler gave the home crowd a delight on France's national holiday, clinging to the yellow jersey that he expected to lose in the punishing climbs.

"I'm glad I was wrong," Voeckler said. "It clearly wasn't expected. Keeping the jersey was far from expected as the stage started today."

Voeckler leads Frank Schleck by 1 minute, 49 seconds overall, and Evans is third, 2:06 back. Contador is seventh overall, 4 minutes behind.

"I was a bit careful," the three-time Tour champion said. "I saw the Schlecks were discussing together and that they were going to play their cards. Frank was the stronger - and both of them attacked.

"But I'm nevertheless happy with this first mountain stage. Each day, I feel better ... I still don't have my best legs. I'm not riding with the same rhythm, but it's encouraging."

Andy Schleck, the Leopard Trek team leader who was runner-up to Contador last year and in 2009, said he and his brother gave the Spaniard a preview of what's to come.

"I think today was a perfect day for us. ... For sure, this is not a decisive stage, but we showed we are here," he said. "Contador is not unbeatable - he lost more time today.

"We had a discussion with Frank and we decided to attack. I attacked, Frank attacked, we played it like this. Then it was time for him to go all out," he added. "If we keep going like this, we can win."

On the 10.6-mile climb up to the Col du Tourmalet, a string of top riders - including some potential title contenders - dropped behind the pack. Among them were Dutch rider Robert Gesink, Germany's Tony Martin, and Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez, who was second overall as the day began.

A few crashes marred the ride, including some on a harrowing downhill from the day's first climb up the Hourquette d'Ancizan, an ascent making its debut on the route of cycling's showcase race. (next page »)