Salvodelli earns stage victory salvation

LANCE ARMSTRONG has still to win a stage in this year’s Tour de France but Paolo Salvodelli yesterday became the second of his Discovery team-mates to cross the line first with an impressive victory in Revel.

Salvodelli is almost cycling royalty after winning the Giro d'Italia this year but he has ridden as a lowly domestique for Armstrong in his pursuit of a seventh consecutive Tour.

However, the 32-year-old Italian got his reward yesterday after joining an early break, powering past Kurt-Asle Arvesen of CSC on a long drag to the finish to join George Hincapie who was victorious at Pla d'Adet on Sunday as a Discovery stage winner.