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Virenque wins longest Tour stage
An inspired and rejuvenated Richard Virenque snatched his annual Tour de France stage in the longest ride in this year's race between Limoges and St Flour yesterday. The most popular and most controversial cyclist in France won the 237-km 10th stage on Bastille Day to claim back the King of the Mountains jersey he has already won six times. It was a dominating performance by Virenque, who came across the line to wild applause more than five minutes ahead of his nearest challengers Andreas Kleoden and Erik Zabel, both of Germany. The Quick Step team leader, kicked out of the Tour in 1998 because of the Festina doping scandal, has now won seven mountain stages in seven different Tours and is ideally placed to win a record 7th polka dot jersey. The national day celebrations were perfect for local fans as young Frenchman Thomas Voeckler stayed with the Tour favourites and retained his overall leader's yellow jersey. Five times Tour champion Lance Armstrong had warned he would ride conservatively in the first really tough stage in this Tour and he kept to his word to remain well-placed in sixth. Virenque, 34, took advantage of the first really sunny day of the Tour to attack with Belgian Axel Merckx, the son of five times Tour champion Eddy, after 20 kilometres. Virenque was first at the top of the nine hills on the day's menu, dropping his Belgian companion in the Puy Mary, the first category one climb of this year's Tour. The Frenchman finished on his own to become the 14th Frenchman in Tour history to win on Bastille day. |
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