BOURG ST MAURICE (France), July 21 Spain's Mikel Astarloza won the 16th stage of the Tour de France, a 159-km trek from Martigny, Switzerland, to Bourg St Maurice on Tuesday.

Frenchmen Sandy Casar and Pierrick Fedrigo were second and third respectively.

Spain's Alberto Contador retained the overall leader's yellow jersey with a 137 lead over Lance Armstrong and a 146 edge over Briton Bradley Wiggins.

Astarloza surged in the finale to finish on his own ahead of seven riders who had broken away with him on the two big climbs of the day, the Grand St Bernard and the Petit St Bernard.

It was the first Tour stage victory for the Basque rider, 29, who finished 9th overall in 2007.

Italy's Franco Pellizotti, gunning for the best climber's polka dot jersey, broke away from a group of early fugitives with Russian Vladimir Karpets.

They reached the top of the Col du Grand St Bernard with an advantage of 115 over a group of 17 riders, with the peloton 50 seconds further back.

The riders went through the Italian town of Arvier, where Frenchman Maurice Garin, the first man to win the Tour in 1903, was born.

The duo was caught by the leading group at foot of the Col du Petit St Bernard, with Pellizotti making another move some six kilometres from the summit to strengthen his King of the Mountains polka dot jersey.

In the descent, eight escapees, including Pellizotti and Astarloza, regrouped and the Basque rider surged with two kilometres left to win on his won.

On the last climb, Armstrong was dropped from the favourites' group six kilometres from the summit following a violent attack from Andy Schleck.

Results

1. Mikel Astarloza (Spain / Euskaltel) 4hrs 14mins 20secs; 2. Sandy Casar (France / Francaise des Jeux) +6; 3. Pierrick Fedrigo (France / Bbox - Bouygues); 4. Nicolas Roche (Ireland / AG2R); 5. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Belgium / Silence - Lotto); 6. Amael Moinard (France / Cofidis); 7. Franco Pellizotti (Italy / Liquigas) +11; 8. Stephane Goubert (France / AG2R); 9. Christophe Moreau (France / Agritubel) +59; 10. Alberto Contador (Spain / Astana ).—Reuters