Sanchez in seventh heaven after daring descent

LUIS LEON SANCHEZ’S enterprise paid off with a flying solo escape in the final five kilometres to win the seventh stage of the Tour de France from Brioude to Aurillac yesterday.

The Spanish national time-trial champion had been in a breakaway group with David de la Fuente for much of the day and when they reached the peak of the Cote de Saint-Jean-de-Donne, Sanchez pushed away from the chasing pack, finishing six seconds ahead of Stefan Schumacher in second.

It is the 24-year-old Caisse d’Epargne rider’s second major stage win of the season, after a similar victory in stage seven of Paris-Nice.