Italy's Riccardo Ricco claimed his second stage win of this year's Tour de France after breaking away on the Col d'Aspin to win in Bagneres de Bigorre.
Ricco launched an explosive attack on the slopes and finished a minute and 17 seconds ahead of the main peloton.
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Ricco completed the 224km stage in five hours, 39 minutes and 28 seconds and, after crossing the line, said: "I told you I would win another one.
His victory, on the first day of racing in the Pyrenees, leaves him two minutes and 35 seconds behind Kirchen in 21st place but confirms his arrival as the Tour's brightest young talent.
"I know there's a lot of very strong competitors but I feel very good." the 24-year-old from Formigine said. "It is important for me to win stages and my legs are very good. I think I am very competitive."
A breakaway group containing Sebastian Lang, Aleksandr Kuschynski and Nicolas Jalabert escaped early in the day but the real drama was in the pack when Evans, last year's runner-up, took a tumble.
He crashed on a bend while he was at the front of the peloton which was being led by the Euskaltel team on a relatively flat section.
The Australian's left leg and elbow were badly cut and his jersey was ripped but he got back on his bike and was able to continue.
Euskaltel maintained the chase as the leaders reached the Col de Peyresourde where Jalabert was dropped and Maxime Montfort and King of the Mountains leader David De La Fuente launched off the front to try to close the gap.
The front two stayed away, however, until the Col d'Aspin, when a number of riders launched unsuccessful attacks, including former maillot jaune Stefan Schumacher.
It was Ricco who came to the fore on the slopes, accelerating away from the main pack and reeling in Montfort and De La Fuente before passing Kuschynski and, finally, Lang.
He quickly opened up a lead of over a minute on the peloton as he went over the summit and held on for another impressive victory to match his superb sprint to the line in stage six.
More to follow.
(BBC)
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