Swiss cyclist Pascal Richard outwitted a nine-man break Friday to win a Tour de France stage for the second time in his career.
Richard pulled ahead of Denmark's Jesper Skibby and Mirco Gualdi of Italy to win the 89-mile stage while overall leader Bjarne Riis of Denmark kept the yellow jersey.Riis, with a total time of 53 hours, 11 minutes, 26 seconds, led Yevgeny Berzin of Russia by 40 seconds. Tony Rominger of Switzerland, none the worst from a fall a day earlier, was third.
Richard said he pretended to be tired in the final climb in the shortest scheduled stage of this year's Tour in an otherwise unspectacular race from Valence to Le Puy-en-Velay where the overall leaders finished in the main pack, 15 minutes, 13 seconds back.
"I pretended I was blown on the last hill," said Richard, who beat American Lance Armstrong in a sprint finish in the Liege-Bastogen-Liege World Cup race in April.
Five-time defending champion Miguel Indurain lost no time in the rolling stage through France's Massif Central and remained eighth overall, 4 minutes, 38 seconds back.