Tyler gets a tonic with breakaway victory

AMERICAN cyclist Tyler Hamilton yesterday produced the biggest successful solo breakaway of the centenary Tour de France to post a win in the 16th stage that will go down as one of the most courageous in the 100-year history of the race.

Hamilton, the team leader of the CSC outfit, has been racing with a broken collarbone since being caught up in a pile-up at the end of the first stage on July 6, but he has not shirked even the toughest climbs in the Alps and Pyrenees.

The man had tearfully informed journalists he was out of the race after that crash only to reconsider just 45 minutes before the start of the second stage, now lies sixth overall, some 6mins 35secs behind race leader Lance Armstrong.