FOIX, France (AP) — Kurt-Asle Arvesen of Norway celebrated his first Tour de France triumph after an 11th stage that started with the second doping bust to mar the race this year.

Australia’s Cadel Evans retained the race leader’s yellow jersey by finishing 14 minutes, 51 seconds back in the main pack that included his top rivals for the overall title in the three-week race.

Arvesen, of Team CSC, led a sprint among three riders in a 12-man breakaway group at the end of the 167.5-kilometer stage from Lannemezan to Foix that featured a category 1 climb up the Col de Portel.

The 33-year-old Norwegian national champion edged out Swiss rider Martin Elmiger and Italy’s Alessandro Ballan in a photo finish, for Arvesen’s first Tour stage victory.

“Today I rolled the dice and everything worked well,” said Arvesen, who said the exhilaration he felt topped that during each of his two stage wins in the Tour of Italy. “Winning a stage of the Tour while I’m wearing my national jersey — it can’t get much better than that.”

Evans, the Silence Lotto team leader and a top pre-race favorite, held onto his narrow one-second lead over Frank Schleck of Luxembourg. American rider Christian Vande Velde is third, 38 seconds behind.

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written by Andrew