AURILLAC (France), July 12: Spain’s Luis Leon Sanchez claimed his maiden Tour de France victory when he took the seventh stage with a bold solo attack in the finale of a 159-km ride from Brioude to Aurillac on Friday.

The Caisse d’Epargne rider attacked on the descent of the Col de St Jean de Donne and never looked back, beating Germany’s Stefan Schumacher by six seconds.

The German won the sprint among the chasing group to finish second ahead of Italian Filippo Pozzato.

Sanchez pointed to the sky at his moment of triumph in memory of his brother, who died three years ago in a quad bike accident.

“I dedicate this victory to my brother, my parents, and to my team. We are a big family, a great team and I am sure that we can win the Tour”, he told reporters.

Luxembourg’s Kim Kirchen retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey after finishing in Schumacher’s group.

Kirchen leads Australian Cadel Evans by six seconds in the overall standings, with Schumacher third 16 seconds adrift.

Sanchez’s leader in the Caisse d’Epargne team, Alejandro Valverde, crossed the line fifth and moved up to sixth overall.

Schumacher, who lost the yellow jersey following a crash on Thursday, attacked the peloton in the Cote de St Jean de Donne.

Cunego did not resist and was dropped in the first slopes of the ascent while De La Fuente earned the polka dot jersey for the best climber by crossing the summit line in first place.

The breakaway was then caught by Schumacher and the favourites’ group but Sanchez, whose other brother Antonio plays football for Spanish second division side Levante, attacked again on the descent and easily won.

The peloton, which started from Brest with 180 riders, went down to 171 men as Sweden’s Magnus Backstedt of the Garmin-Chipotl team was eliminated after finishing too late.

Leading results after seventh stage:

1. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain/Caisse d’Epargne ) 3 hrs 52 mins 53 secs; 2. Stefan Schumacher (Germany/Gerolsteiner) +6 secs; 3. Filippo Pozzato (Italy/Liquigas) +6 secs; 4. Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg/Columbia) +6 secs; 5. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Caisse d’Epargne) +6 secs; 6. Oscar Pereiro (Spain / Caisse d’Epargne) +6 secs; 7. Samuel Sanchez (Spain/Euskaltel) +6 secs; 8. Josep Jufre Pou (Spain/Saunier Duval) +6 secs; 9. Christian Vandevelde (US/Garmin-Chipotle) +6 secs; 10. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg/Team CSC) +6 secs

Leading overall standings: 1. Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg/Columbia) 28 hrs 23 mins 40 secs; 2. Cadel Evans (Australia/Silence-Lotto) +6 secs; 3. Stefan Schumacher (Germany/Gerolsteiner) +16 secs; 4. Christian Vandevelde (US/Garmin-Chipotle) +44 secs; 5. Denis Menchov (Russia/Rabobank) +1:03; 6. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Caisse d’Epargne) +1:12; 7. David Millar (Britain/Garmin-Chipotle) +1:14; 8. Stijn Devolder (Belgium/Quick-Step) +1:21; 9. Oscar Pereiro (Spain/Caisse d’Epargne) +1.21; 10. Thomas Lovkvist (Sweden/Columbia) +1.21.—Reuters