July 27, 2008	Sunday	Rajab 23, 1429

MONTLUCON (France), July 26: Sylvain Chavanel’s persistence was rewarded on Friday with a first stage victory on the Tour de France.

The Frenchman, who had unsuccessfully attacked again and again in this year’s race, beat compatriot Jeremy Roy in a sprint finish after the two broke away on the 165.5-km 19th stage from Roanne.

German Gerald Ciolek won the sprint of the bunch to take third place a little more than a minute behind the front two as Spaniard Carlos Sastre retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey after spending a quiet day in the peloton.

“I was frustrated because I had been trying so hard and every time I had failed,” said Chavanel, who is to join the Quick Step team from Cofidis next season.

“This year, I have overcome a barrier. It’s the best gift I could offer Cofidis.”

Chavanel has seven victories under his belt this year, including the Fleche Brabanconne semi-classic and a stage win in the Paris-Nice.

The top of the standings remained unchanged with Sastre leading CSC team mate Frank Scheck of Luxembourg by one minute and 24 seconds.

Austrian Bernhard Kohl is third 1:33 adrift and Australian Cadel Evans fourth one second further behind.

Sastre and Evans are expected to battle it out for overall victory in Saturday’s decisive time trial over 53 km.

After a few abortive moves, Roy and Chavanel broke away at 80 kms and never looked back, opening up a five-minute lead over the peloton.

The Liquigas, Caisse d’Epargne and Barloworld teams chased the pair to offer victory to their sprinters but ended 1:13 behind the two attackers.

Results of 19th stage:

1. Sylvain Chavanel (France/Cofidis) 3 hours 37 minutes 9 seconds; 2. Jeremy Roy (France/Francaise des Jeux) 3 hours 37 minutes 9 seconds; 3. Gerald Ciolek (Germany/Columbia) +1.13; 4. Erik Zabel (Germany/Milram) +1.13; 5. Heinrich Haussler (Germany/Gerolsteiner) +1.13; 6. Leonardo Duque (Colombia/Cofidis) +1.13; 7. Filippo Pozzato (Italy/Liquigas) +1.13; 8. Thor Hushovd (Norway/Credit Agricole) +1.13; 9. Robert Foerster (Germany/ Gerolsteiner) +1.13; 10. Julian Dean (New Zealand/Garmin-Chipotle) +1.13; 11. Oscar Freire (Spain/Rabobank) +1.13; 12. Geoffroy Lequatre (France/Agritubel) +1.13; 13. Christophe Riblon (France/AG2R) +1.13; 14. Martijn Maaskant (Netherlands/ Garmin-Chipotle) +1.13; 15. Alessandro Ballan (Italy/Lampre) +1.13; 16. Sebastian Lang (Germany/Gerolsteiner) +1.13; 17. Matteo Tosatto (Italy/Quick-Step) +1.13; 18. Arnaud Coyot (France/Caisse d’Epargne) +1.13; 19. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukraine/ Silence-Lotto) +1.13; 20. David Millar (Britain/Garmin-Chipotle) +1.13; 21. Inaki Isasi (Spain/Euskaltel) +1.13; 22. Cadel

Evans (Australia/Silence-Lotto) +1.13; 23. Ruben Perez (Spain/Euskaltel) +1.13; 24. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Caisse d’Epargne) +1.13; 25. Sebastian Langeveld (Netherlands/Rabobank) +1.13; 26. Christian Vande Velde (US/Garmin-Chipotle) +1.13; 27. Martin Elmiger (Switzerland/AG2R) +1.13; 28. Robbie McEwen (Australia/Silence-Lotto) +1.13; 29. Nicolas Portal (France/Caisse d’Epargne) +1.13; 30. Stuart O’Grady (Australia/Team CSC) +1.13.

Overall standings:

1. Carlos Sastre (Spain/Team CSC) 82 hours 54 minutes 36 seconds; 2. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg/Team CSC) +1.24; 3. Bernhard Kohl (Austria/Gerolsteiner) +1:33; 4. Cadel Evans (Australia/Silence-Lotto) +1:34; 5. Denis Menchov (Russia/Rabobank) +2:39; 6. Christian Vande Velde (US/Garmin-Chipotle) +4:41; 7. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Caisse d’Epargne) +5:35; 8. Samuel Sanchez (Spain/Euskaltel) +5:52; 9. Tadej Valjavec (Slovenia/AG2R) +8:10; 10. Vladimir Efimkin (Russia/AG2R) +8:24; 11. Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg/Columbia) +8:35; 12. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg/Team CSC) +10:04; 13. Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic/Liquigas) +12:02; 14. Sandy Casar (France/Francaise des Jeux) +17:08; 15. Mikel Astarloza (Spain/Euskaltel) +20:07; 16. Alexandre Botcharov (Russia/Credit Agricole) +22:59; 17. Amael Moinard (France/Cofidis) +23:01; 18. Konstantsin Siutsou (Belarus/Columbia) +24:29; 19. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Liquigas) +25:39; 20. Dmitriy Fofonov (Kazakhstan/Credit Agricole) +25:49; 21. Stephane Goubert (France/AG2R) +28:05; 22. Laurens ten Dam (Netherlands/Rabobank) +29:27; 23. Maxime Monfort (Belgium/Cofidis) +34:48; 24. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukraine/Silence-Lotto) +35:07; 25. Stefan Schumacher (Germany/Gerolsteiner) +40:08; 26. Sylvester Szmyd (Poland/Lampre) +42:32; 27. Cyril Dessel (France/AG2R) +42:33; 28. David Arroyo (Spain/Caisse d’Epargne ) +43:40; 29. Christian Knees (Germany/Milram) +43:48; 30. Mario Aerts (Belgium/Silence-Lotto) +43:54.—Reuters