SUPER-BESSE (France), July 11: Riccardo Ricco of Italy won the sixth stage of the Tour de France on Thursday, sprinting to a mountaintop victory ahead of two of the overall favourites.

Ricco came in one second ahead of Alejandro Valverde of Spain and Cadel Evans of Australia at the end of the 195.5-kilometre (121.5-mile) trek through the peaks of the Massif Central from Aigurande to the ski resort of Super-Besse. As on the previous day, a group of three Frenchmen broke away shortly after the start — Sylvain Chavanel, in search of the King of the Mountains jersey as best climber, Benoit Vaugrenard and Freddy Bichot. At one point they had a gap of more than five minutes over the peloton.

Chavanel took the two early small climbs, plus the first major climb of the Tour, over the Croix-Morand Pass. He was caught 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the finish, before the final climb, as were the other two escapees, but Chavanel succeeded in taking the polka-dot climber’s jersey.

Schumacher rode into the wheel of Kirchen during the jostling for positions at the line and fell. Kirchen managed to remain on his bike and finished fifth.

Results:

1. Riccardo Ricco, Italy, Saunier Duval-Scott, 4 hours, 57 minutes, 52 seconds; 2. Alejandro Valverde, Spain, Caisse d’Epargne, 1 second behind; 3. Cadel Evans, Australia, Silence-Lotto, same time; 4. Frank Schleck,

Luxembourg, Team CSC Saxo Bank, :04; 5. Kim Kirchen, Luxembourg, Team Columbia, same time; 6. Roman Kreuziger, Czech Republic, Liquigas, :07; 7. Moises Duenas, Spain, Barloworld, same time; 8. Carlos Sastre, Spain, Team CSC Saxo Bank, same time; 9. Denis Menchov, Russia, Rabobank, same time; 10. Leonardo Piepoli, Italy, Saunier Duval-Scott, same time; 11. Manuel Beltran, Spain, Liquigas, :12; 12. Samuel Sanchez, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, same time; 13. Oscar Pereiro, Spain, Caisse d’Epargne, :15; 14. Stijn Devolder, Belgium, Quick Step, :19; 15. Thomas Lovkvist, Sweden, Team Columbia, :23; 16. Yury Trofimov, Russia, Bouygues Telecom, same time; 17. Dmitriy Fofonov, Kazakhstan, Credit Agricole, same time; 18. Mikel Astarloza, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, same time; 19. Christian Vandevelde, United States, Garmin Chipotle, same time; 20. Tadej Valjavec, Slovenia, AG2R-La Mondiale, same time.—AP