Ricco flies high to claim second stage win

Italian Riccardo Ricco paraded his climbing skills with a stunning attack on the first mountain test of the Tour de France yesterday to claim his second stage victory.

The Giro d'Italia runner-up dropped the race favourites on the ascent of the category-one Col d'Aspin on the ninth stage with a sudden burst of speed and never looked back.

A winner in an uphill finish on the sixth stage, Saunier-Duval's Ricco beat Russian Vladimir Efimkin, the AG2r-La Mondiale rider crossing the line one minute four seconds later.

France's Cyril Dessel, also of AG2r-La Mondiale, was third, 13 seconds behind, after winning the sprint of the favourites' group.

Australian Cadel Evans, widely seen as the overall favourite, crashed midway through the stage and sustained bruises on his left knee, elbow and thigh.

"We are not worried from a medical point of view. There will just be the usual effects of a crash," said race doctor Gerard Porte.

Evans remains second in the overall standings six seconds behind yellow jersey holder Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg.

American Chris Vande Velde of the Garmin-Chipotle team is third, 44 seconds behind.

Although he is still not favourite to win in Paris, Ricco showed that in a race without an overwhelming figure, he could shake the hierarchy and be a permanent threat.

Dubbed "The Cobra", Ricco was the first big name to shake up the peloton on the Col d'Aspin but Evans's Silence-Lotto team also stepped up a gear to catch the climber.

Ricco, however, was at it again four kms from the summit, firing clear of the bunch in a style reminiscent of the late Marco Pantani, his idol.

The 24-year-old quickly went in front at the top with a 75-second advantage over the peloton.

It was the Caisse d'Epargne team who then worked to reduce the arrears with Evans content to follow the pace.

Kirchen was spotted struggling at the heart of the favourites' bunch but held on. The Team Columbia rider is expected to suffer today during the 10th stage over 158 km from Pau to Hautacam with two out-of-category climbs on the menu.