Contador wins stage

Rasmussen retains lead

Spaniard Alberto Contador won the 14th stage of the Tour de France, a 197-km ride from Mazamet to the Plateau-de-Beille yesterday.

The Discovery Channel rider beat Dane Michael Rasmussen of Rabobank, who retained the overall leader's yellow jersey.

Pre-race favourite Alexander Vinokourov finished more than 20 minutes behind after failing to keep the pace in the first ascent.

Colombian Barloworld rider Juan Mauricio Soler took third place.

"Winning a stage on the Tour de France with so many people on the roadsides is just a dream," said Contador.

The 33-year-old Rasmussen, at the centre of a controversy after failing to inform the UCI of his whereabouts while training, enjoys a two-minute-23-second lead over Contador.

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