Halgand restores flagging French pride with stage win

FOR a nation which gave birth to the greatest cycle race in the world, the French have had little to cheer about in the Tour de France recently.

But they were given a welcome fillip yesterday when Patrice Halgand became the first native to win a stage this year, claiming stage 10 with a brave attack seven kilometres from the finish in Pau.

It is now 17 years since the great Bernard Hinault last won the race and the next home champion is nowhere in sight. That moribund future was darkened further yesterday with that Laurent Jalabert the only French rider inside the current top 20 in the Tour standings intends to retire at the end of the season.

Jalabert's nerves must be red raw as he was forced to get a replacement bike for the second consecutive stage.

But Halgand gave the French fans at least one reason to be cheerful, taking the initiative when Credit Agricole's Stuart O'Grady seemed a likelier winner in a four-man break, also including Ludo Dierckxsens and Jerome Pineau.

Aware of the potency of O'Grady and the colourful Belgian Dierckxsens over the final kilometre, Halgand attacked early leaving the duo with little chance of catching him.

Pineau took second but O'Grady ought to be happy enough with his third place after spending Tuesday's rest day in hospital receiving treatment for hypertachicardia a condition which results in a super-high heart rate.

The Australian was cleared to carry on but did more than just turn up, producing his best ride of the race so far suggesting a first win of the year may not be far away.

His compatriot Robbie McEwen did even better, taking the green jersey from Erik Zabel, winner of the last six points competitions. The Francaise des Jeux man leads Zabel by a point after getting the better of his German rival in the intermediate sprint at Roquefort.

Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano, the centre of a drugs row earlier yesterday, retained the yellow jersey while lone Briton David Millar remains in white after he successfully defended his lead in the young riders' standings.

Galdeano was revealed to have tested positive for the anabolic salbutamol, used to treat asthma. The ONCE man has obtained specific permission from the international cycling union (UCI) to use it but it the news was an unwelcome distraction as he prepared to defend his 26-second lead over Lance Armstrong.

There were no fireworks from Armstrong, who is pursuing a fourth consecutive Tour title, but the Texan remains a smouldering threat, which is expected to burst into life sometime soon.

It may come today, as the route heads into the mountains for the first time with the Hors Categorie climb up Col d'Aubisque looming midway through the stage.

The 147km from Bazas were covered at a ferocious pace, the third fastest in Tour history, making it very difficult for anyone to mount a serious attack. A 16-man break, soon cut to 11, at the 57km mark was the first to succeed.

ONCE, content to control the peloton, picked up the pace within 30km of Pau but they could only limit their losses. The real battle was fought out at the head of the race with Halgand's quartet breaking from the other seven.

That meant the stage was there for the taking by any of the four but it was Halgand who dared to win and, while it was too late for Bastille Day, it was good enough for the people of Pau.