Stage success for flying Freire

Oscar Freire claimed victory on stage nine of the Tour de France, winning a sprint finish by the narrowest of margins ahead of Robbie McEwen and Erik Zabel.

Freire suffered a big drop in the standings – going from ourth to 74th - after finishing 134th in Saturday’s individual time trial, but bounced back today by emerging first following a massive scramble for the line in Dax.