Advantage Armstrong as Valverde wins

COURCHEVEL – Lance Armstrong regained firm control of the Tour de France and the yellow jersey yesterday on a gruelling first day in the Alps which left all of his main rivals trailing.

Alejandro Valverde, of the Baleares team, won the 10th stage held over 192.5km between Grenoble after beating Armstrong in a two-man race for the finish line – and the American was sporting enough to shake the young Spaniard’s hand immediately afterwards. Overnight race leader Jens Voigt, of the CSC team, finished well off the pace on a first day in the Alps which featured two category one climbs and the first summit finish of the race.Germany’s 1997 winner Jan Ullrich came over the finish line among a group of riders at around 2min 20sec behind Armstrong and is now over four minutes behind his American rival.-AFPOvernight race leader Jens Voigt, of the CSC team, finished well off the pace on a first day in the Alps which featured two category one climbs and the first summit finish of the race.Germany’s 1997 winner Jan Ullrich came over the finish line among a group of riders at around 2min 20sec behind Armstrong and is now over four minutes behind his American rival.-AFP

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